N 



^ 



^"; ^ ^^^;.^\ ■",.'■ y:^^y.^: 












Oc 






^ o,'? 



^ o V -■ ■ c^ -•■ '-. .- - o.^ 



r 






^<^%' 






>'^ 






.-^ 



^' 



' ^:jYy, 



• 









V 



' <P- 






■\ 



-^v• 



c^ 



,0 c 



\ 



"'b. 






^■>^ 



'^^. 



,v5- 



.0' 















-^^ 



v^' 



aV^' '^/>. 









"'J', 






^^ ..V^'^ 



S ^ v\^ 



O 



'^. 



'^. 






^ 8 1 \'=' 



1 V 


a^ 


> 


-?- 


V 


o 






-^' ." 



-p 



0^ 



o 






c^. 






N C 












x\ 



.\' 



./\ 












^ .0 



^ 









o V. 






v\^ 






,^' 



o5 -n^. 



>- ^ 



.^^ 



-^/^ v^' 



V 



oc 



A 



O^ 



'.V 






<i^. 



1 ft 



% 



'J> 



c 



.0^- 



■0 



o 0' 



,0 



X"^ 



^c^. 



H I 



\ . 



^^^ ,<v 









*^, 



\' 



> 



/' ,^X> 



THE 



Parlament of Foules, 



/ 



BY 



GEOFFREY CHAUCER. 



EDITED, 



WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES, AND GLOSSARY, 



/ 



t 



BY 



T. R. LOUNSBURY, 

PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH IN THE SHEFFIELD SCIENTIFIC SCHOOL 
OF YALE COLLEGE. 



V^^^^^^^.i 




r 




y 



uokv^^:^"^ 



BOSTON: 
PUBLISHED BY GIXN, HEATPI, & CO. 

1883. 






X^ 



copyright. 
By T. R. Lounsbury. 

1877. 



J. , 'I 



INTRODUCTION. 



Of the minor works of Chaucer, " The Parlament of Foules," 
or, as it is sometimes called, "The Assemble of Briddes," 
stands confessedly at the head. Even through lines defective 
in metre, and passages out of which, as ordinarily printed, no 
meaning can be gathered, the beauty of the poetry makes itself 
felt. Still this production has been comparatively little read, 
partly owing to the fact that it has not been accessible, save in 
complete editions of the poet's works, and partly on account of 
the difficulties, both as regards measure and meaning, presented 
by the generally-received text. For a long time these difficul- 
ties seemed insurmountable. When Robert Bell's edition of 
Chaucer v/as published in 1862, only tv/o manuscripts of this 
poem were known to exist; but in 1871, almost entirely through 
the agency of the Chaucer Society, ten manuscripts had been 
discovered and published, one of which, much the best of all, had 
been previously unknown- to editors. With this as a basis, and 
a careful collation of it with the rest, it seemed possible to pre- 
sent a text which might be regarded as at least a close approxi- 
mation to what the poet really wrote ; and in the increasing 
attention paid in schools to the English language and literature, 
and the necessity, constantly existing, of new texts to aid in its 
pursuit, it seemed desirable that one of the most beautiful pro- 
ductions of early English poetry should be brought to the notice 
of students. With this end in view, I have gathered together all 
the facts that are known in regard to this work, and shall discuss 



4 INTR on UC TION. 

the chief theories tliat have been advanced as to its production or 
character. These naturally arrange themselves i.nder separate 
headings, the first of which will be a consideration of the views 
entertained as to the 

DATE AND COxMPOSITION OF THE POEM. 

Of the date and circumstances attending the composition of 
the poem, we can scarcely be said to know any thing. It is 
mentioned by Chaucer himself in that partial list of his works 
which he erives in the " Prolosrue to the Le2;ende of Goode 
Women," and is there spoken of under the title of " The Parla- 
ment of Foules "(line 419). There is also a reference to it in 
the so-called "Prayer," or "Revocation," with which "The 
Canterbury Tales " end. It is in that place included among 
the "translaciouns," and "endyting in worldly vanitees," for 
the composition of which the poet is represented as asking the 
forgiveness of God. This Prayer, though found in the best 
manuscripts, is of doubtful genuineness : at any rate, it is very 
difficult of explanation. The modern reader would be inclined 
to think that the author might better have asked forgiveness 
for producing some of the works for having written which he is 
described as thanking the Lord. In this Revocation, the title 
given to the poem is " The Book of Seint Valentines Day and 
of the Parlament of Briddes." It is also mentioned by Lyd- 
gate, along w^ith other works of Chaucer, in the Prologue to 
his translation of Boccaccio's " Fall of Princes," in these 
words : — 

"Of Fowles also he wrote the Parlj'meiit, 
Therin remembrj'nge of r>'ail Egles thre, 
Howe in their choyse they felt adversite ; 
To fore Nature profered the batayle 
Eche for his partye, if he wolde avayle." 

These, I believe, are all the very early notices of the poem ; and 
they furnish no further clew to the date, save that it must have 
been composed before the " Legende of Goode Women ; " and 
this latter work, we know from internal evidence, could not have 
been completed before 1382. 



DATE AND COMPOSITION OF THE POEM. 5 

In a note to line 1920 of " The Canterbury Tales," with which 
the description of the Temple of Venus in " The Knight's Tale " 
opens, Tyrwhitt referred to " The Parlament of Foules," and ex- 
pressed his opinion, or rather his suspicion, that it alluded to the 
intended marriage of John of Gaunt, the fourth son of Edward 
III., with Blanche of Lancaster, which took place in 1359. He, 
therefore, was inclined to refer the production of the poem to 
about that period. In a subsequent notice of this particular 
work, he expressed himself as adhering to the conjecture pre- 
viously advanced as to the date, but added that he could not 
confirm it by any external evidence. The reasons which led 
Tyrwhitt to come to the conclusions he did are not hard to find. 
In " The Parlament of Foules," the lady is represented as 
putting off the suit of her admirers for one year ; and the prin- 
cipal suitor is described as the royal tercel, higher in rank 
than all the others (line 394). There is a somewhat similar 
situation of things depicted in another one of Chaucer's works, 
— "The Boke of the Duchesse," — which may be thought to 
have a connection v/ith the situation portrayed in this one. This 
latter poem was certainly written on the death of some duchess 
of the name of Blanche, and is generally supposed to have 
been written on the death of the wife of John of Gaunt, which 
took place in 1369. In it the mourning husband speaks of him- 
self as having at first been refused by his wife, but, on renew- 
ing his suit in "another yere " (line 1257), as having been 
accepted. These were pretty certainly the independent state- 
ments which led Tyrwhitt to form the conjecture he expressed ; 
but he was too cautious and too sagacious to base upon evi- 
dence so doubtful a positive assertion. 

Not so, however, with Godwin, whose Life of Chaucer ap- 
peared in 1803. By this biographer, nearly every conjecture of 
every one of his predecessors was stated as a fact. This formed 
no exception to the general rule. The subject of the poem, he 
remarked without any qualification, was the courtship of John 
of Gaunt ; and it appeared " to have been written before the lady 
had accepted the addresses of her illustrious suitor." As the 
marriage took place in 1359, the composition of the poem was 



6 INTR OD UC TION. 

accordingly referred by Godwin to the year 1358. In this he 
has been followed by several modern writers. 

This date is now almost contemptuously rejected by those 
students of Chaucer, forming, perhaps, a majority of the whole 
number, who have given up the traditional date of 1328 as the 
year of the poet's birth, and have substituted for it a conjectural 
one of 1340, or thereabouts. Still their views as to its time of 
composition cannot be looked upon as resting upon any firmer 
basis than that of Godwin's. The only conspicuous theory, 
indeed the only one deserving of any attention, is that of Prof. 
Ten Brink of the University of Strasbourg. In 1870 he pub- 
lished a valuable treatise on Chaucer, in which he divided his 
works into three periods ; the first embracing those written 
exclusively under French influence ; the second, those written 
specially under Italian influence ; and the third period, from 1385 
to 1400, The second period he began with the poet's return, in 
1373, from his first Italian journey of which we have any 
record ; for we know from^ ofiicial documents, that shortly after 
the 1st of December, 1372, Chaucer left England on a diplo- 
matic mission to Genoa, and came back to England some time 
before the 22d of November, 1373. To this second period, 
extending from this time to 1385, Prof. Ten Brink assigned 
the composition of " Palamon and Arcite," of " The Hous of 
Fame," of " Troylus and Cryseyde," of " The Life of Seint 
Cecile," and of "The Parlament of Foules." All of these 
exhibit traces of Italian influence ; all of them are more or less 
indebted to Italian originals, and are, therefore, suppos^ed to have 
been written after the return of the poet from a journey, in which 
he had come into personal contact with Italian speakers, per- 
haps with Italian authors, and had had, in consequence, special 
faciUties for the study of the language. Mr. Furnivall, the 
director of the Chaucer Society, has adopted this theory, and is 
inchned to assign the composition of this particular poem to the 
year 1374. There is nothing impossible about any of these 
statements ; and they certainly cannot be disproved, for the very 
good reason, that, in the present state of our knowledge, they 
cannot be proved. There are, however, two weak points in the 



DATE AND COMPOSITION OF THE POEM. 7 

argument upon which the theory is founded. The poet may 
have been in Italy before 1373, for any thing we know to the 
contrary. He may have become intimately acquainted with the 
language and literature of that country before he went thidier 
in person. That facilities for studying it, and that from the 
mouths of native Italians, should not have existed at the splendid 
court of Edward III., is almost incredible : indeed, in the balan- 
cing of probabilities, it seems fair to assume that Chaucer was 
more likely to have been selected for the mission of 1372, in 
consequence of his knowledge of the tongue of the country to 
which he was sent, than that he should have made his first 
acquaintance with its literature in consequence of the mission. 
There is no evidence that ignorance of the language of a people 
on the part of an envoy accredited to them was looked upon as 
a qualification for that particular post in the time of Edward 
III., at least in the case of a person occupying no higher rank 
in life than did the poet. The theory of Prof. Ten Brink must, 
therefore, be looked upon only as a theory, worthy of all respect 
and consideration, on account of the character and attainments 
of the man who proposed it and of the men who hold it ; but 
it is only a theory, and ought never to be advanced, as it has 
already been advanced, as a statement of fact. 

In the discussion of a question of this kind, it is important to 
bear in mind that it is no evidence, as regards the date of a 
poem, that it is better or worse than some other poem of the 
same author with which it is compared, and therefore that it 
must have been composed before or after it. There is nothing 
in our knowledge of the laws of intellectual development to jus- 
tify the assumption, that is continually put forth in the case of 
Chaucer, that a man's first productions are comparatively poor, 
and then go on increasing in merit, at least until there comes a 
period of decline. Such a position is contradictory to all the 
established facts of literary history. Every writer has in this 
respect an experience of his own, which may have, or may not 
have, any thing in common with other writers. Dryden's first 
poems were inexpressibly wretched ; but he kept producing 
better and better, almost up to the day of his death. Campbell's 



8 INTRODUCTION'. 

earliest works are among bis very best : the only success gamed 
by his latest ones was to impair the reputation he had previously 
acquired. Byron wrote, at about the same time, " Hints from 
Horace," which nobody can read, and the two first cantos of 
" Childe Harold," which every one reads. A man's first or last 
poem is not necessarily either his best or his worst, any more than 
the first or last child he besfets is better or worse than the rest. 
Poets, like every one else, have their seasons of exaltation and 
depression, their times of writing well and of writing ill ; and 
the excellence of their productions depends upon an infinite 
numbeT- of causes outside of the particular period of life at 
which they have arrived. The relative goodness of any special 
work may be due to the happy choice of a subject, to the pecu- 
liar fitness of the writer's genius for the treatment of it, to the 
fortunate inspiration of the moment, to the state of health, in 
short, to a thousand things, about the effect of which we cannot 
argue, unless we are acquainted with the precise facts. When 
the order of a poet's works is known from independent sources, 
it is not unfrequently easy to detect in the earlier ones traces of 
youth and inexperience ; but the reverse method can never be 
tried with any assurance of arriving at trustworthy results. 

SOURCES OF THE POEM. 

The representation of animals speaking and arguing and 
acting, and generally with a good deal more sense than ordi- 
nary mortals, is, probably, not unknown to any literature. It is 
familiar to all of us in the fables of ^sop, and of his count- 
less imitators ; and, in the brute-epic of " Reynard the Fox," 
it has reached, perhaps, its highest point of artistic develop- 
ment. Long dialogues between particular animals on various 
topics are almost as common. They are not wanting in our 
early literature before the time of Chaucer ; and one of them 
especially, " The Owl and the Nightingale," displays, at times, 
poetic power of no mean order. 

The general conception had, therefore, about it nothing 
novel ; but, as regards the main incident from which Chaucer's 
poem takes its name, no particular resemblance has ever yet 



SOURCES OF THE POEM. 9 

been discovered between it and any other production which has 
been described. In this respect it was probably a pure crea- 
tion of his own, and perhaps alluded, in a covert way, to some 
event of which we now know nothing. At the same time, " The 
Parlament of Foules " is, to a certain extent, penetrated with 
the atmos^Dhere of the books with which the poet was familiar. 
Not only are direct references made to them, but numerous 
passages show the traces of remote suggestion, if not of actual 
imitation. But it was never an atmosphere of the kind that 
hid from the poet his insight into life, or dulled in the slight- 
est his sympathy with nature. Chaucer read much in old 
books, as he often tells us ; but he thoroughly assimilated what 
he read, and it became all his own. What he borrowed he gave 
again to the world in a new, and often in a more striking form. 
Therein he presented a marked contrast to his contemporary, 
Gower, who swallowed a great deal of information of various 
kinds, but never succeeded in digesting any of it ; and, accord- 
ingly, most of the interest of his poetry has departed along 
with the belief in the statements which it contained. 

There are, however, two authors to whom Chaucer, in the 
composition of a part of this poem, was so directly indebted, 
that it is desirable to give a full account of what he borrowed. 
In the case of the first of these, he expressly names both the 
work and the writer of it. This is the episode of " The Dream 
of Scipio," contained in the sixth book of Cicero's treatise on 
" The Republic." In the fifth to the twelfth stanza inclusive of 
this poem, Chaucer gives an abstract of this famous production, 
couched in elevated language, which renders it not unfit to be 
placed side by side with the original. 

The treatise of Cicero on " The Republic " was in existence 
during the tenth century, and perhaps later, but, at the time of 
the revival of letters, had completely disappeared as a whole. 
For centuries it was given up as lost; but in 1822 Angelo Mai 
found in the library of the Vatican a palimpsest manuscript, 
in which this production had been erased to make way for a 
Commentary of St. Augustine on the Psalms. From this, and 
from other sources, about one-third of the original has beer 



lo INTRODUCTION. 

recovered. The work was in the form of a dialo^^ue, in which 
the speakers were the younger Scipio Africanus, who bore the 
principal part, and several of his friends. The portion ob- 
tained from the palimpsest did not extend beyond the fourth of 
the six books ; but a fragment of this last one, complete in 
itself, which contained the episode of " The Dream of Scipio," 
had been praserved by a Roman writer named Macrobius, who 
flourished about the beginning of tlie fifth century. By him it 
was used as a sort of text upon wliich to hang a series of dis- 
courses, partly on the nature of dreams, but chiefly on the phys- 
ical constitution of the universe. In this manner one of the 
most striking productions of antiquity was saved. At the same 
time, it can hardly be considered as original on the part of the 
Roman author. It was, at the outset, an adaptation of the 
story told of Er the Pamphylian, with which the treatise of 
Plato on " The Repubhc " ends. But not only does it vary from 
this in numerous particulars, but much of it is of an entirely 
different cast. It also borrows hints and suggestions, and even 
sentences, from other works of the Greek philosopher. Espe- 
cially is this true of the argument for immortality contained in 
the eighth and ninth chapters of the Dream, which is almost a 
literal translation of a passage in the Phaedrus. 

As embodying the most advanced views of antiquity in regard 
to the future life, as characterized throughout by elevation of 
sentiment, as abounding in eloquent declamation against the 
pursuit of that earthly glory for which no one was ever more 
eager than the author himself, this episode has been a favorite 
work of all later times, and made a profound impression in 
particular upon the men of the middle ages. Echoes of it 
appear everywhere in the early literatures of modern Europe ; 
and the number of direct references and indirect allusions made 
to it by Chaucer himself show how deep a hold it had taken 
of his mind. It bears, indeed, so important a part in the 
construction of this particular poem, that I have thought best 
to give of it a translation. Though the sentiments are those 
of a heathen, it will not probably do any harm to most Chris- 
tians to read it. In so doing, the few facts which follow are to 



SOURCES OF THE POEM. H 

be borne in mind. The speaker is the younger Scipio Africanus : 
the person who appears to him in his dream is the elder Scipio, 
the conqueror of Hannibal, who had received the surname of 
Africanus in consequence of having brought to a successful 
conclusion the Second Punic War. The younger Africanus was 
the son of Lucius ^milius Paulus, the conqueror of Macedo- 
nia, but was adopted by Publius Scipio, the son of the elder 
Africanus. In 149 B. C. he went to Africa with the consul 
Manius Manilius as military tribune ; was elected in 147 B. C. 
to the consulship ; and in the following year took the city of 
Carthage by storm, thereby ending the Third Punic War. In 
142 B. C. he was elected censor, and in 134 B. C. was made 
consul a second time, and, after a memorable siege of eight 
months, captured and utterly destroyed the city of Numantia. 
Returning to Rome, he opposed the schemes of his brother- 
in-law, Tiberius Gracchus, the grandson of the elder Africanus ; 
and, after the death of the latter, he made an attempt to re- 
scind a portion of the agrarian laws which had been carried 
through by the energy of that democratic leader. During the 
excitement attending this controversy, he v\^as found one morn« 
ing dead in his bed. The general belief was, that he was mur- 
dered ; but suspicion, though it fell on several, including some 
of his relations, centred positively on no one. 

The following is a somewhat free translation of this famous 
episode : — 

THE DREAM OF SCIPIO. 

I. When I went into Africa with the consul Manius Manilius, holding the rank, 
as you are aware, of military tribune of the fourth legion, nothing lay nearer to my 
heart than to meet Masinissa, a king, who, for good reasons, was on the most friendly 
terms with our family. When I had come to him, the old man embraced me with 
tears, and then, looking up to heaven, said, " I give thanks to thee, O supremest 
Sol, and to you, ye inhabitants of heaven! that, before I depart this life, I behold in 
my dominions, and under this roof, Publius Cornelius Scipio, by whose very name I 
am revived : so never passes away from my mind the memory of that best and most 
invincible hero." Thereupon I made inquiries of him as to the state of his own 
kingdom, and he of me as to our republic ; and, with many words uttered on both 
sides, we spent the whole of that day. 

Moreover, after partaking of a repast prepared with royal magnificence, we pro- 
longed the conversation late into the night. The old man would speak of nothing but 
Africanus, and remembered not only all his deeds, but likewise his sayings. After we 



1 2 INTR OD UC TION. 

parted to go to bed, a sounder sleep than usual fell upon me, partly on account of 
weariness occasioned by the journey, and partly because I had staid up to a late hour. 
Then Africanus appeared to me, I think in consequence of what we had been talking 
about ; for it often happens that our thoughts and speeches bring about in sleep some- 
thing of that illusion of which Ennius writes in regard to himself and Homer, cl 
which poet he was very often accustomed to think and speak while awake. Africanus 
showed himself to me in that form which was better known ti) me from his ancestral 
image than from my recollection of his person. As soon as I rccogi.ized him, I was 
seized with a fit c-f terror ; but he thereupon said, " Be of good courage, O Scipio ! 
Lay aside fear, and commit to memory these things which I am about to say. 

II. " Do you see that state, which, compelled by me to submit to the Rom.in peo- 
ple, renews its former wars, and cannot endure to remain at peace? " At these svords, 
from a certain lustrous and bright place, very high, and full of scars, he pointed i-ut to 
me Carthage. "To fight against that city thou now comest in a rank but little a'jove 
that of a private soldier ; but, in two years from this time, thou shalt as consul utterly 
overthrow it, and, in consequence, shalt gain by thy own exertions that very sur- 
name of Africanus, which up to this time thou hast inherited from us. But when 
thou shalt have destroyed Carthage, shalt have had the honor of a triumph, and shalt 
have been censor, thou shalt, during thy absence, be chosen consul for a second time, 
shalt put an end to a great war, and lay Nuinantia in ruins. But, when thou shalt bi>. 
carried in thy triumphal chariot to the capitol, thou wilt find the republic disturbed 
by the designs of my grandson. 

"Then, O Scipio! it will be necessary that thou exhibit the purity and greatness 
of thy heart, thy soul, and thy judgment. But I see at that time a double way dis- 
close itself, as if the Fates were undecided ; for when thy life shall have completed 
eight times seven revolutions of the sun, and these two numbers (each one of which 
is looked upon as perfect ; the one for one reason, the other for another) shall have 
accomplished for thee by their natural revolution the fatal product, to thee alone and 
to thy name the whole state shall turn ; upon thee the senate, upon thee all good men, 
upon thee the allies, upon thee the Latins, will fasten their eyes ; thou wilt be the 
one upon whom the safety of the state shall rest ; and in short, as dictator, it will be 
incumbent on thee to establish and regulate the republic, if thou art successful in 
escaping the impious hands of kinsmen." At this point, Laelius uttered an exclama- 
ti(m of sorrow, and the rest groaned more deeply ; but Scipio, slightly smiling, said, 
" Keep silence, I beg of you. Do not awake me from my dream, and hear the rest of 
his words. 

III. " But, O Africanus! that thou mayest be the more zealous in the defence of 
the republic, know this : For all who have preserved, who have succored, who ha^-e 
aggrandized their country, there is in heaven a certain fi.'ced place, where they enjoy 
an eternal life of blessedness. For to that highest God, who governs the whole 
world, there is nothing which can be done on earth more dear than those combinations 
of men and unions, made under the sanction of law, which are called states. The 
rulers and preservers of them depart from this place, and to it they return." 

I had been filled with terror, not so much at the fear of death as at the prospect 
of treachery on the part of those akin to me : nevertheless, at this point, I had tin: 
corn-age to ask whether my father Paulus was living, and others whom we thought 
to be annihlla ed. "Certainly," said he: " they alone live who have been set free 
from the fetters of the boay, as if from prison ; for that which you call your life is 



SOURCES OF THE POEM. 13 

nothing but death. Nay, thou mayest even behold thy father Paulus coming towards 
thee." 

No sooner had I seen him than I burst into a violent fit of tears ; but he. there- 
upon, embracing and kissing me, forbade my weeping. I, as soon as I had checked 
my tears, and was able again to speak, said to him, " Tell me, I beseech thee. O best 
and most sacred father ! since this is life, as I hear Africanus say, why do I tarry 
upon earth? Why shall I not hasten to go to you?" — "Not so," said he; "not 
uniil that God, whose temple is all this which thou seest, shall have freed thee from 
the bonds of the body, can any entrance lie open to thee here. For men are brought 
into the world with this design, that they may protect and preserve that globe which 
thou seest in the middle of this temple, and which is called ' Earth.' To them a soul is 
given from these everlasting fires which you name constellations and stars, which, in 
the form of globes and spheres, run with incredible rapidity the rounds of their orbits 
under the impulse of divine intelligences. Wherefore by thee, O Publius! and by all 
pi'His men, the soul must be kept in the guardianship of the body ; nor without the 
command of Him by whom it is given to you can there be any departure from this 
mortal life, lest you seem to have shunned the discharge of that duty as men which 
has been assigned to you by God. But, O Scipio ! like as thy grandfather, who stands 
here, like as I who gave thee life, cherish the sense of justice and loyal affection ; 
which latter, in however great measure due to thy parents and kinsmen, is, most of all, 
due to thy country. Such a life is the way to heaven, and to that congregation of 
those who have ended their days on earth, and, freed from the body, dwell in that 
place which you see, — that place, which, as you have learned from the Greeks, you 
are in the habit of calling the Milky Way." 

This was a circle, shining among the celestial fires wiih a most brilliant whiteness. 
As I looked from it, all other things seemed magnificent and wonderful. Moreover, 
there were such stars as we have never seen from this point of space, and all of such 
magnitude as we have never even suspected. Among them, that was the least, which, 
the farthest from heaven, and the nearest to earth, shone with a borrowed light. But 
the starry globes far exceeded the size of the earth : indeed, the earth itseif appeared 
to me so smail, that I had a feeling of mortification at the sight of our empire, which 
took up what seemed to be but a point of it. 

IV. As I kept my ej'es more intently fixed upon this spot, Africanus said to me, 
" How long, I beg of thee, wiil thy spirit be chained down to earth ? Seest thou not 
into what a holy place thou hast come ? Every thing is bound together in nine circles, 
or rather spheres, of which the farthest is the firmament, which embraces the rest, is, 
indeed, the supreme God himself, confining and containing all the others. To that 
highest heaven are fixed those orbits of the stars which eternally revolve. Below it 
are seven spheres, which move backward with a motion contrary to that of the firma- 
ment. One of these belongs to that star which on earth they call Saturn ; then fol- 
lows that shining orb, the source of happiness and health to the human race, which is 
called Jupiter ; then the red planet, bringing terror to the nations, to which you give 
the name of Mars ; then, almost directly under the middle region, stands the sun, ths 
leader, the chief, the governor of the other luminaries, the soul of the universe, and its 
regulating principle, of a size so vast, that it penetrates and fills every thing with its 
own light. Upon it, as if they were an escort, follow two spheres, — the one of Venus, 
the other of Mercury ; and in the lowest circle revolves the moon, illuminated by the 
rays of the sun. Below it there is nothing which is not mortal and transitory, save the 



1 4 INTR OD UC TION. 

fcouls which are j^iven to mankuid by the gift of the gods : above the moon, all things 
are eternal. For that nintli sphere, which is in the middle, is the earth : it has no 
motion ; it is the lowest in space ; and all heavy bodies are borne toward it by their 
natural downward tendency." 

V. I loohed at these, lost in wonder. As soon as I had recovered myself, I said, 
" What is this sound, so great and so sweet, which fills my ears ? " — '" This," he re- 
plied, " is that music, which, composed of intervals unequal, but divided proportionately 
by rule, is caused by the swing and movement of the spheres themselves, and, by 
the proper combination of acute tones with grave, creates with uniformity manifold 
and diverse harmonics. For movements so mighty cannot be accomplished in silence ; 
and it is a law of nature that the farthest sphere on the one side gives forth a base 
tone, the farthest on the other a treble ; for which reason, the revolution of that 
uppermost arch of the heaven, the starry firmament, whose motion is more rapid, 
is attended with an acute and high sound ; while that of the lowest, or lunar arch, is 
attended with a very deep and grave sound. For the ninth sphere, the earth, em- 
bracing the middle region of the universe, stays immovably in one fixed place. But 
those eight globes between, two ^ of which have the same essential action, produce 
tones, distinguished by intervals, to the number of seven ; which number, indeed, is the 
knot of almost all things. Men of skill, by imitating the result on the strings of the 
lyre, or by means of the human voice, have laid open for themselves a way of return 
to this place, just as other men of lofty souls have done the same by devoting them- 
selves during their earthly life to the study of what is divine. But the ears of men, 
surfeited by this harmony, have become deaf to it ; nor is there in you any duller 
sense : just as, at that cataract which is called Catadupa, — where the Nile rushes down 
headlong from the lofty mountain-tops, — the people who dwell in that neighborhood 
have lost the sense of hearing in consequence of the magnitude of the sound. So, 
likewise, this harmony, produced by the excessively rapid revolution of the whole 
universe, is so great that the ears of men are not able to take it in, in the same man- 
ner as you are not able to look the sun in the eye, and your sight is overcome by the 
power of its rays." Though I was filled with wonder, nevertheless I kept turning my 
eyes from time to time to the earth. 

VI. " I perceive," then said Africanus, " that thou still continuest to contemplate the 
habitation and the home of man. If that seems to thee as small as it really is, keep, 
then, thy eyes fixed on these heavenly objects ; look with contempt on those of mortal 
life. For what notoriety that lives in the mouths of men, or what glory that is worthy 
of being sought after, art thou able to secure? Thou seest that the earth is inhabited 
in a few small localities, and that, between those inhabited places, — spots, as it were, on 
the surface, — vast desert regions lie spread out ; and that those who inhabit the earth 
are not only so isolated that no communication can pass among them from one to 
another, but that some dwell in an oblique direction as regards you, some in a diago- 
nal, and some stand even exactly opposite you. From these you are certainly not able 
to hope for any glory. 

" Moreover, thou observes! that this same earth is surrounded, and, as it were, gir- 
dled, by certain zones, of which thou seest that two — the farthest apart, and resting 
at both sides on the very poles of the sky — are stiffened with frost ; and that, again, 
the central and largest one is burnt up with the heat of the sun. Two are habitabj". : 

' Mercury and Venus. 



SOURCES OF THE POEM. 1 5 

of these the southern one, in which dwell those who make their footprints opposite 
ymirs, is a foreign world to your race. But even tliis other one, which lies to the 
nunh, which you occupy, — see with how small a part of it you come into contact ! For 
all the land which is cultivated by you. very narrow at the extremities, but wider at 
tlie sides, is only a small island surrounded by that water which on earth you call the 
Aliaiuic, or the great sea, or the ocean. But though its name is so high-sounding, 
yet thou bcholdest how small it is. From these cultivated and well-known regions can 
either thy name, or the name of any of us, surmount and pass this Caucasus which 
thou seest, or cross yonder flood of the Ganges? Who in the farthest remaining 
regions of the rising and the setting sun, or on the confines of the north and the 
south, will hear thy name ? When these are taken away, thou assuredly perccivest 
how immense is the littleness of that space in which your reputation seeks to spread 
itself abroad. Moreover, even those who speak of us, for how long a time will 
they speak ? 

VII. ** Nay, even if the generations of men were desirous, one after the other, to 
hand down to posterity the praises of any one of us heard from their fathers, neverthe- 
less, on account of the changes in the earth. — wrought by inundations and conflagra- 
tions, which are sure to recur at certain fi.xcd epochs, — we are not simply unable to 
lecure for oursek/es a glory which lasts forever, but are even unable to gain a glory 
which lasts for a long time. Moreover, of what value is it that the spjech of those 
who are to be born hereafter shall be about thee, when nothing has been said of thee 
by all those who were born before, who were neither fewer in number, and were un- 
questionably better men, especially when no one is able to live in the memory of 
those very persons, by whom one's name can be heard, for the space of one year? 

" For men commonly measure the year by the return to its place of the sun alone, 
— that is, of one star; but when all the stars shall have returned to that same point 
from which they once set out, and, after a long period of time, have brought back the 
same relative arrangement of the whole heaven, that, then, can justly be called the 
complete year. In it I hardly dare say how many ages of human life are contained. 
For once, in the past, the sun seemed to disappear from the eyes of men, and to h'i 
annihilated, at the time when the soul of Romulus made its way into this very temple. 
When, from the same region of the sky, and at the same moment of lime, the sun 
shall have again vanished, then be sure that all constellations and stars have come 
back to the position they had in the beginning, and that the perfect year is completed. 
Of that year know that now not even the twentieth part has passed- 

" Whercfoie, if ihoii givest up the hope of a return to this place, in which all things 
exist for lofty and pre-eminent souls, yet of how much value is that human glory 
which can hardly endure for even the small part of a single year? But if, as I was 
saying, thou wishest to look on high, and to fix thy gaze upon this abode of the blest, 
and this eternal home, never give thyself up to the applause of the vul ,'ar, nor rest 
the recompense of thy achievements in the rewards which can be bestowed upon thee 
by men. It is incumbent on thee that Virtue herself shall draw thee by her own 
charm to true glory. As for the way in which others talk about thee, let thenj take 
care of that themselves ; yet without doubt they will talk. But all such renown is 
limited to the potty provinces of the regions which thou scost : nor in the case of 
anyone is it everlasting; for it both dies with the death of men, and is buried in 
oblivion by the forgetfulness of posterity." 

VIII. When he had said these things, " O Africanus! " I replied, " if the path tliat 



1 6 INTR on UC TION. 

Icc'ds to the entrance of heaven lies open to those who have rendered great service to 
their country, although, in following from my boyhood in thy footsteps and in those of 
my father, I have not failed in sustainmg the honor derived from you, yet henceforth 
I shall toil with far more zeal, now that so great a reward has been held out before 
me." — " Do thou indeed," said he, "continue to strive; and bear this in mind, that 
thou thyself art not mortal, but this body of thine. For thou art not the one which 
that form of thine proclaims thee to be: but the soul of any one, that alone is he; 
not that external shape which can be pointed out with the finger. Therefore ki:ow 
thyself to be a god, if that is essentially god which lives, which feels, whi^h re- 
members, which foresees, which rules and regulates and moves that body over which 
it is put in authority, as the Supreme Being governs this universe. And as the eter- 
nal God moves the world, which, in a certain point of view, is perishable, so the 
incorruptible soul moves the corruptible body. 

" For what always moves itself is eternal; but that which communicates to any 
thing a motion which it has itself received from another source must necessarily have 
an end of life when it has an end of motion : therefore that alone never ceases to 
move which moves itself, for the reason that it is never deserted by itself. This, 
indeed, is the well-head ; this the beginning of motion to all other things that are 
moved. Dut to a beginning there is no birth ; for all things are born from the begin- 
ning. But it itself cannot be born of anything; for that would not be a beginning 
which sprang from some other source. And just as it is never begotten, so it never 
dies ; for a beginning annihilated could neither itself be brought back to life by any 
thing else, nor could it create any thing else out of itself, since it is necessary that all 
things should come from a beginning. So it results that the beginning of motion is 
in itself, because it is self-moved. And this can neither be born nor die, for, if it did, 
the heavens would fall to ruin, and all nature would stand still ; nor could it come 
into the possession of any power by the original impulse of which it might be put 
into motion. 

IX. " Since, therefore, it is clear that what is self-moved is eternal, who can deny 
that this essential characteristic has been imparted to the soul ? For every thing which 
is moved by a foreign impulse is without a soul ; but that which lives is made to go 
by an inward motion of its own, for this is the special nature and power of the soul. 
But if it is the one thing among all which is self-moved, then certainly it has had no 
beginning, and is eternal. Do thou, then, employ it in the noblest duties. But those 
are the loftiest cares which are concerned with the well-being of our native land. 
The soul that is inspired by these, and occupied with them, will hasten the quicker 
into this, its real home and habitation. So much the more speedily, indeed, will it do 
this, if, while it is shut up in the body, it shall pass beyond its limits, and, by the con- 
templation of those things which are outside of it, shall withdraw itself as far as pos- 
sible from the body. For the souls of those who have given themselves up to sensual 
pleasures, and have made themselves, as it were, ministers to these, and who, under 
the pressure of desires which are subservient to these pleasures, have violated the 
laws of God and man, when they shall have parted from the bod\', will fly about the 
earth itself, nor will return to this place until they shall have suffered torme uts for 
many ages." He departed. I awoke from my sleep. 

The second work to which Chaucer is largely indebted is " La 
Teseide " of Boccaccio, from which poem he also took the story 



SOUI^CES OF THE POEM. 17 

of " The Knight's Tale." In the seventh bool< of " La Teseide," 
the prayer of Pal^mon to Venus is personified, and sets out for 
the Temple of Venus on Mount Cithasron. This place, which in 
ancient mythology was consecrated to Jupiter, seems to have been 
confounded by the poets of this period with the Island of Cy- 
thera, sacred to Venus. The passage of Boccaccio, containing 
sixteen stanzas, was reproduced in "The Parlament of Foules," 
with more or less of variation in particulars, and with a trans- 
position of some of the verses. A literal version of the original 
was made by Vv. M. Rossetti for FurnivalFs " Trial- Forewords 
to the Parallel-Text Edition of Chaucer's Minor Poems," pub- 
lished in 1 87 1 ; and from that work I have taken this translation. 
The corresponding verses of " The Parlament of Foules " are 
marked in Roman numerals. 



(si.) XXVII. 

With whom going forward, she saw that [i.e., Mount Cixnasron] 

In every view suave and charming ; 

In guise of a garden bosky and beautiful, 

And greenest full of plants. 

Of fresh glass, and every new flower ; 

And therein rose fountains living and clear; 

And, among the other plants it abounded in, 

Myrtle seemed to her more than other. 

(52.) XXVIII. 

Here she heard amid the branches sweetly 

Birds singing of almost all kinds : 

Upon which [branches] also in like wise 

She saw them with delight making their nests. 

Next among the fresh shadows quickly 

She saw rabbits go hither and thither. 

And timid deer and lawns, 

And many other dearest little beasts. 

(53.) XXIX. 

In like wise here every instrument 

She seemed to hear, and delightful chaunt : 

"Wherefore passing with pace not slow, 

And looking about, somewhat within herself suspended 



1 8 INTR OD UC TIOJV, 

At the lofty place and beau«^iful adornment, 
She saw it replete in ahnost even* corner 
With spiritlings which, flying here and there, 
Went to their bourne. Which she looking at, 

(54.) XXXI. 

Among the bushes beside a fountain 

Saw Cupid forging arrows — 

He having the bow set down by his feet ; 

Which [arrows] selected his daughter Voluptas 

Tempered in the waves. And settled down 

With them was Ease Wzio, Otium] ; whom she saw 

That he, with Memorj', steeled his darts 

Willi the steel tliat she first tempered. 

(ss.) xxxir. 

And then she saw in that pass Grace \_Leg'£^iadria\, 

With Adorning [Adoriiezza] and Affability, 

And the wholly estrayed Courtesy ; 

And she saw the Arts that have powei 

To make others perforce do folly. 

In their aspect much disfigured. 

The Vain Delight of our form 

She saw standins; alone with Gentilesse. 



'o 



(56.) XXXIII. 

Then she saw Beauty pass her by, 

Without any ornament, gazing on herself ; 

And with her she saw Attraction {Piacevolezza) go, — 

She [the prayer] commending to herself both one and other. 

With them she saw standing Youth, 

Lively and adorned, making great feast ; 

And on the other side she saw madcap Audacity 

Going along with Glozings and Pimps. 

(57-) XXXIV. 

In mid the place, on lofty columns. 

She saw a temple of copper ; round which • 

She saw youths dancing and women — 

This one of them beautiful, and that one in fine raiment, 

Ungirdled, barefoot, only in their hair and gowns, 

Who spent the day in this alone. 

Then over the temple she saw doves hover 

And settle and coo. 



SOURCES OF THE POEM. 19 

(58.) XXXV. 

And near to the entry of the temple 

She saw that there sat quietly 

My lady Peace, who a curtain 

Moved lightly before the door. 

Next her, very subdued in aspect, 

Sat Patience discreetly, , 

Pallid in look ; and on all sides 

Around her she saw artful Promises. 

(59.) XXXVI. 

Then, entering the temple, of Sighs 

She felt there an earthquake, which whirled 

All fiery with hot desires. 

This lit up all the altars 

With new flames bom of pangs ; 

Each of which dripped with tears 

Produced by a woman cruel and fell 

Whom she there saw, called Jealousy. 

(60.) XXXVII. 

And in that [temple] she saw Priapus hold 
The highest place — in habit just such as 
Whoever would at night see him 
Could, when braying the animal 
Dullest of all awoke Vesta, who to his mind 
Was not a little — towards whom he in like guise 
Went: and likewise throughout the great temple 
She saw many garlands of diverse flowers. 

(61.) XLI. 

Here many bows of the Chorus of Diana 
She saw hung up and broken ; among which was 
That of Callisto, become the Arctic 
Bear. The apples were there of haughty 
Atalanta, who was sovereign in racing ; 
And also the arms of that other proud one 
Who brought forth Parthenopaeus, 
Grandson to the Calydonian King CEneus. 

(62.) XLII. 

She saw there histories painted all about ; 

Among which with finer work 

Of the spouse of Ninus she there 

Saw all the doings distiuguished ; and at foot of the mulberry-ttee 



JO INTRODUCTION. 

PjTamus and Thisbe, and the mulberries already distained; i 

And she saw among these the great Hercules i 

In the lap of lole, and woeful Biblis -j 

Going piteous, soliciting Caunus. ' 

] 

(63.) XXXVIII. \ 

I 

But, as she saw not Venus, it was told her . i 

(Nor knew she by whom) — " In secreter I 
Part of the temple stays she delighting. 

If thou wantest her, through that door quietly i 

Enter." Wherefore she, without further demur, j 

Meek of manner as she was, j 

Approached thither to enter within, i 
And do the embassy to her committed. 

(64.) XXXVIII. ; 

But there she, at her first coming, j 

Found Riches guarding the portal — , j 

Who seemed to her much to be reverenced : j 
And, being by her allowed to enter there, 

The place was dark to her at first going. 1 

But afterwards, by staying, a little light i 
She gained there ; and saw her lying naked 

On a great bed very fair to see. 1 

i 

(65.) XXXTX. j 

But she had hair of gold, and shining , 

Round her head without any tress. I 

Her face was such that most people \ 

Have in comparison no beauty at all. j 

The arms, breast, and outstanding apples, i 
Were all seen ; and every other part with a 

Texture so thin was covered ; 

That it showed forth almost as naked. 1 

-* \ 

(66.) XL. ] 

The neck was fragi-ant with full a thousand odonrs. i 

At one of her sides Bacchus was seated, \ 
At the other Ceres with her savours. 
And she in her hands held the apple, 
Delighting herself, whicli, to her sisters 

Preferred, she won in the I dean vale. 1 

And, having seen all this, she [the prayer] made her request j 

Which was conceded without denial. ] 



SOURCES OF THE POEM. 21 

So far as I know, Tyrvvhitt was the first to call attention to 
the fact that the passage in "The Parlament of Foules " was 
taken from the Italian poet. A comparison of the two will 
show, that, beside minor variations and transpositions, Chaucer 
sometimes introduced particulars which are not found in the 
original. One of the most striking of these is that emblematic 
picture of calm and resigned endurance amid the shifting 
changes of life and love, which is conveyed by the representa- 
tion of Patience sitting upon a hill of sand. Moreover, nearly 
all of the twenty-ninth and thirtieth verses consists of additions 
which owe nothing at all to " La Teseide ; " and these two are 
among the very finest stanzas in the description of the garden 
and temple. Still the general resemblance is throughout very 
close. The original, moreover, settles some points about which 
the manuscripts vary. For illustration, in line 277, some of 
them read Cupide, and others Cypride. It is evident, from the 
sixty-sixth stanza of Boccaccio, that the latter is the correct 
reading ; for in it Venus is represented as sitting between Ceres 
and Bacchus. This might, indeed, have been independently 
inferred from the fact, that, in both the Italian and the English 
poem, Cupid is represented as sitting at the fountain. In line 
221, also,, of "The Parlament of Foules," the corresponding 
place in Rossetti's translation shows that the proper reading 
is, " To don by force a wight to do folye," though half of the 
manuscripts vary from this. 

These are the only passages of any extent which Chaucer 
has either borrowed or adapted. A few short lines have been 
pointed out as having been taken from the " Inferno " of Dante ; 
but they are not only slight in number, but of very slight 
importance. But the nineteenth and twentieth verses of " The 
Parlament of Foules " are usually spoken of as founded directly 
upon the famous inscription with which the third canto of the 
" Inferno " opens. I subjoin, for the sake of comparison, 
Longfellow's translation of the latter : — 

Through me the way is to the city dolent ; 
Through me the way is to eternal dole ; 
Through me the way among the people lost. 



2 2 IN TROD UC TION: 

Justice incited my sublime Creator; 

Created me divine Omnipotence, 

The highest Wisdom and the primal Love. 

Before me there were no created things, 

Only eterne, and I eternal last. 

All hope abandon, ye who enter in I 

There is no doubt that the passage in Dante suggested the 
nineteenth and twentieth verses of " The Parlament of Foules ; " 
but while the meaning in one case is perfectly plain, that of the 
other is by no means so evident. For the further consideration 
of this question, I print these two stanzas in modern English 
orthography. It will be noticed that the only thing which would 
be apt to occasion any ordinary reader the slightest trouble is 
the use of "there" and "there as" in the sense of "where," 
and the accentuation of " aventure " on the first and the last 
syllable, instead of on the second. The following are the lines, 
modernized as regards spelling. Syllables then, but no longer, 
pronounced, are accented. 

" Through me men gon into that blissful place, 
Of heartes heal and deadly woundes cure ; 
Through me men gon unto the well of grace, 
There green and lusty May shall ever endure ; 
This is the way to all good aventure ; 
Be glad, thou reader, and thy sorrow offcast, 
All open am I, pass in, and speed thee fast." 

'* Through me men gon," then spake that other side, 

" Unto the mortal strokes of the spear, 

Of which disdain and danger is the guide ; 

There never tree shall fruit ne leaves bear ; 

This stream you leadeth to the sorrowful weir. 

There as the fish in prison is all dry ; 

The eschewing is only the remedy." 

Most of the trouble in reading Chaucer vanishes with the 
spelling. It is not particularly creditable to the English-speaking 
race that difficulties so slight should not only deter so many 
from the attempt, but even deprive them of the desire, to 
become familiar with an author whose rank in our literature 
is only below that of Shakspeare. 

While there is no question as to the poetry of these stanzas, 



SOURCES OF THE POEM, 23 

the meaning is far from being as certain. Prof. Morley — who, 
in his " English Writers," follows Tyrwhitt and Godwin in as- 
cribing the composition of " The Parlament of Foules " to the 
year 1358 — refers the second stanza to war and to the misery 
of captivity, which Chaucer himself was shortly to experience 
in his own person ; but the language does not seem capable of 
bearing any such interpretation, even were we to admit that the 
conjectured time of composition were correct. The gate is a 
single one, though made up of two halves ; and it opens only 
into the garden and the temple of Venus. The whole context, 
as well as these two verses, appears to point to the interpretation, 
that, in both cases, the entrance is the entrance to love, but, on 
the one hand, to successful, on the other to unsuccessful, love. 
He who takes the one path reaches happiness in which there is 
no alloy, finds a cure for every heart-ache, dwells in life's per- 
petual May; but the other path is the way to unreturned or 
unfortunate love, the dangers which attend it, the disdain which 
waits upon it, the miseries which result from it. For him who 
passes that portal the tree of love shall never bring forth leaf 
nor fruit. He who is captive in that prison shall perish for the 
lack of that which is to him the element of life. The only 
safety for him whom this fate overhangs lies in shunning love 
itself. I am not sure that this interpretation is right ; but it 
seems to make a satisfactory explanation of the " errour," 
which, in line 156, Africanus speaks of as being written in the 
poet's face. Chaucer throughout represents himself as knowing 
nothing of love personally ; at least as having lost the taste of 
it, if he ever knew it. But it is only for lovers that these in- 
scriptions promise any reward, or threaten any punishment. 
The dreamer is mistaken if he supposes that they can have any 
reference to him. He can therefore enter safely. 

If the explanation be correct, Chaucer's obligations to Dante 
in this passage are rather in the way of suggestion than of 
appropriation. While the form is the same, the application is 
widely different. The same remark is also true of that general 
resemblance which Prof. Ten Brink sees between the Africanus 
of this poem and the Virgil of the " Divina Commedia." The 



24 INTRODUCTION. 

resemblance is so very general, that it almost fades away into 
the indistinguishable. To the Italian poet, Virgil is the guide 
and friend who conducts him through the gloomy shades of 
hell and the milder shades of purgatory, and leaves him only 
at the entrance of that heaven to which he himself cannot 
enter. But Africanus simply shoves the poet inside of the 
gate, takes his hand, and, after that, apparently leaves him to 
take care of himself, so far as any further information in regard 
to him is vouchsafed. The idea of the double gates has also 
been referred to several sources, of which the two most note- 
worthy are those mentioned in the nineteenth book of " The 
Odyssey " and the sixth book of " The ^neid." But resem- 
blances in matters like this, which might have occurred to any 
number of persons independently, it is neither a cheerful nor 
a profitable occupation to trace out, especially when there is no 
particular merit in tiie invention, but only in the use that is made 
of it. 

Other sources for particular passages in this poem have been 
indicated, or rather asserted ; for there has been a plentiful 
lack of any thing that can be called proof. It is, perhaps, 
proper, in connection with this, to make a special mention of 
a treatise on Chaucer, considered as an imitator of the Trou- 
veres, by M. Sandras, which was published at Paris in 1859. 
The author was a man of much learning in many departments, 
but apparently of little critical judgment in any. He damned 
the Enghsh poet with a good deal of faint praise, and in a 
genial and appreciative way succeeded, at least to his own 
satisfaction, in stripping him of any originality whatever. 
According to him, Chaucer owed nothing to nature, every 
thing to books. In speaking of the composition of this par- 
ticular poem, he asserted, that, besides the authors who have 
already been mentioned. Statins, Guillaume de Lorris, Alain de 
risle, and G. de Machault, had been put under contribution. 
He was somewhat inclined to include Volucraire in the list, 
but graciously added that he had escaped his researches. The 
obligation to Machault appears to be this : in several of the 
manuscripts of "The Parlament of Foules," in place of the 



SOURCES OF THE POEM. 25 

roundel which follows the ninety-seventh stanza is the first line 
of a French poem, which reads, " Qui bien ainie a tard oiiblie''^ 
(" He who loves well is slow to forget "). Sandras unearthed 
from a manuscript of Machault a song beginning with this hne, 
toirether with the music to which it was set. This he claimed 
to be the original of the roundel which " imakid was in Fraunce," 
as mentioned in line Gjy. Even if that be so, it is not the 
original of the roundel which is found in other manuscripts, 
and which is printed in this edition. But Chaucer docs not 
say that the roundel was made in France. The " notes " were 
composed there ; and the " notes," contrasted as they are with 
the " wordis," seem to point clearly to the music to which the 
roundel was sung. If that be so, the most that can be said is, 
that Chaucer chose to write some new words to an old air, — 
an act which can hardly be thought to impair his originality as 
a poet. 

As resfards the borrowins^ from Statius and Guillaume de 
Lorris, Sandras did not attempt to support his statement by 
either citation or reference ; and it is accordingly not easy to 
make any examination of the charge as regards them. But we 
are enabled to get some idea of the character of the evidence 
which he did not particularize by that which he did. He states, 
without any reservation, that Chaucer drew his portrait of 
Nature after Alain de I'Isle and Jean de Meung. The fact of 
the matter is, that Chaucer drew no portrait of Nature at all. 
He simply says, — 

" And ryght as Aleyn in the Pleynt of Kynde 
Devyseth Nature in aray and face," 

SO she appeared also to him. Alain de ITsle, or Alanus de 
Insulis, a Cistercian monk, and for a time Bishop of Auxerre, 
flourished during the twelfth century. He was one of the 
most learned men of his time, at least in the sort of learning 
that was then chiefly regarded, and received for the wide 
range of his acquirements the title of " the Universal Doctor." 
He wrote a number of Latin works, both in prose and verse, 
on a variety of subjects. One of these is a long poem in nine 



2 6 INTR OD UCTION. 

books, called Antidaudia7tus^ to which there is a reference 
in " The Hous of Fame." Another one is the treatise, in both 
prose and verse, De Planctu NatiircE; that is, " Concerning 
the Complaint of Nature," or, as Chaucer translates it, "Of 
*he Pleynt of Kinde." In this, Nature is represented as be- 
wailing the general depravation of the human race, and the 
sway which had been gained by various vices, but particularly 
ty that of Sodomy. The book opens with a poem of the 
author, deploring this detestable crime. To him, as soon as 
he has finished it. Nature appears in the form of a beautiful 
woman ; and to a description of her appearance and dress the 
writer devotes several pages. It is to this that Chaucer refers ; 
but he does not quote a word. All that the English poet can 
be said to owe to Alain de I'lsle, if he can be said to owe any 
thing, is the personification of Nature. On her garments, 
indeed, are depicted assemblies of birds, of fishes, and of land 
animals, with a description of each one mentioned ; but, in his 
characterization, Chaucer was hardly indebted to this treatise 
for a single particular, even if he were for the idea. But of 
this representation of animals Sandras seems to have known 
nothing, though it would make a far stronger justification of 
the charge of borrowing than that which he actually did bring 
forward. But the resemblances, indeed, which, in many cases, 
he sees between the words of Chaucer and those of other 
writers, are of that indefinite kind which would enable any one, 
if such were accepted as evidence, to draw up a general indict- 
ment of plagiarism against the human race. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

The first edition of "The Parlament of Foules " was printed 
by Caxton in 1477-78. In 1526 it was printed the second time, 
along with " The Hous of Fame," by Richard Pynson ; and 
for the third time, in 1530, and as a separate pubhcation, by 
Wynkyn de Worde, under the title of " The Assemble ot 
Foules." In the titlepage of this edition it is spoken of as 
" veray pleasaunt and compendyous to rede or here," and as 
"compyled by the preclared and famous clerke, Geffray Chau- 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 27 

cer." From that time there has been no separate edition of the 
poem. It was, however, included in all the collected editions of 
the poet's works which came out in the sixteenth century. Ex- 
cluding booksellers' reprints, these were that of Thynne, pub- 
lished by Godfrey in 1532, that of Stowe in 1561, and that of 
Speght in 1 598, of which the second edition came out in 1602. 
The form in which " The Parlament of Foules " is found in Si)eght 
has been the one generally followed in most of the later reprints 
of the collected poems. In Robert Bell's edition of Chaucer's 
poetical works, the text of " The Parlament of Foules," as con- 
tained in Speght, was collated with a manuscript belonging to 
the Cambridge University Library ; and the value of the work 
was still further enhanced by the additicn of numerous explana- 
tory notes. In the reprint of the Aldine edition of Chaucer's 
poems, which appeared in 1S66, under the supervision of Dr. 
Richard Morris, the text of this particular one was taken from 
a manuscript in the Bodleian Library, marked Fairfax 16. Nu- 
merous slight changes were made in it, however, by collation 
with two other manuscripts. Finally, the Chaucer Society, in 
1 87 1, printed eight manuscripts, and reprinted the text of the 
poem as found in Caxton's edition, a copy of which exists in 
the Cambridge University Library. This includes all the known 
manuscripts, excepting two, one of which is the one already 
referred to as printed by Dr. Morris, and another one which 
was copied from it. These texts, with the conjectured dates of 
most of them, and their designation in this volume, are as fol- 
lows : — 

MS. Gg. 4.27, Cambr. Univ. Libr. 1430-40 . . A. 

MS. R. 3.19, Trin. Coll., Cambr. 1460-70 . . . B. 

Caxton's Text from an unknown MS. 1477-78 . C. 

Harleian MS.>333 (Shirley's) D. 



MS. LVIL, St. John's Coll., Oxford. 1460. . . E. 

MS. Ff. 1.6, Cambr. Univ. Libr. 1441-42 . . . F. 

Tanner MS. 346 (Bodleian Libr.). 1440 . . . . G. 

Digby MS. 181 (Bodleian Libr.). 1450-60 . . . H. 

MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24 (Bodleian Libr.). 1470-80 . J. 

MS. Fairfax 16 (Bodleian Library) . . . . . K. 



28 INTRODUCTION. 

In addition to these, two fragmentary manuscripts of the 
poem were also printed by the Chaucer Society in 1871, — one 
from the Cambridge University Library, containing the first 365 
lines ; and one from the Bodleian Library, containing the first 
142 Hues. 

COMPARISON OF THE MANUSCRIPTS. 

There is a general agreement among all the manuscripts, with 
the exception of the one in the Northern dialect, which is desig- 
nated here as J. This not only omits the first two stanzas and 
the last one ; but, from the eighty-seventh stanza on, there is 
no resemblance whatever between it and the others. In ad- 
dition, the variations throughout the whole poem are so numer- 
ous and so peculiar as to forbid the idea that the copy from 
which this was taken could have been the same as that from 
which the others were transcribed. It seems, indeed, as if it 
must have been written down from memory by some one in 
whose mind the oridnal had become more or less confused and 

O 

forgotten. Words and expressions were, in consequence, often 
put into a different order, or new ones had to be supplied ; and, 
in particular, the latter part of the poem having entirely dis- 
appeared from memory, its place was filled by an invention of 
the copyist himself, or of some one else. 

As J is the poorest of these manuscripts, that of the Cam- 
bridge University Library, marked Gg. 4.27, and designated as 
A, is much the best, and has been taken as the basis of this 
edition. A comparison of it with the others shows in many 
instances such variations, that it seems as if it must have been 
subjecte^l to a special revision, or to have been made from a 
copy differing in some particulars from all the rest. Against 
the former supposition it is to be said, that, in several cases, 
there are defects both in the words and in the metre of MS. A 
which could hardly have passed unnoticed by any careful reviser. 
Still its general superiority is very marked, especially if com- 
pared with any other individual one, and not with all. This, as 
regards the metre, is often secured by the addition or omission 
of unimportant words or of grammatical endings. For the 



COMPARISON OF THE MANUSCRIPTS. 29 

purpose of bringing out more clearly the distinction between it 
and the other manuscripts, I subjoin a few of the numerous 
instances where its readings are superior, most of the instances 
where there is little or no choice, and all of the instances where 
its readings are positively inferior. In the cases mentioned 
below, MS. A is compared with all the manuscripts excepting 
J, unless the contrary is expressly stated. As against any single 
one, its superiority is much more conspicuous. 

I. Of the few instances which will be given to mark the 
superiority of MS. A, the following have reference to the 
metre : — 

Line 369. A alone has eueriche ; the rest, eche^ or etiery. 

Line 514. A has bet; the rest, bcttre. 

Line 527. A omits the before foulis. 

Line 564. A omits forth before bi-inge. 

Line 626. A has the correct reading by mere transposition 
of the words. Most of the manuscripts read, " Thanne wol I 
don this favour to hir that she." 

Line 632. A alone has cert is. 

Line 670. A alone omits of hem after eche. They are un- 
necessary to the sense, and destructive to the metre. 

Line 676. A has to before N'atnre. 

These are fair illustrations of the slight variations occurrinsf 
in manuscripts where the addition of unimportant words and 
endings has the effect of either ruining or restoring the meas- 
ure. The following instances have reference to the lansuasfe 
employed : — 

Line 363. A reads, " The rauen wys, the crowe with vols of 
care ;" the rest, "The rauyns and crowes with hyr voyces of 
care." 

Line 391. A has brekej the others, let^ except F, which has 
suffre. 

Line 493. A has to-slyuered; the rest, to-shuiered. While 
either makes good sense, the former seems preferable ; at least, 
in this country, where "sliver" as a verb is very common. 

Line 498. A alone has the order of the birds right : this is 



30 INTR OD UC TION. 

the goose, the cuckoo, and the duck, as is made certain by theif 
respective cries in the next line ; but all the other manuscripts 
put the duck improperly before the cuckoo. 

Line 672. In A, Nature is called the " queen of kynde;" in 
the rest, " the goddesse." The former reading is preferable 
on account of the measure, and is justified by line 647, where 
Nature is addressed as " almyghty queen." 

II. Again : there are a number of passages in which A differs 
from all the others, and in which there is more or less liberty of 
choice. The following are the most important of these varia- 
tions. A reference to the text will show in each case which has 
seemed, on the whole, preferable. 

Line 12. A has that; the rest, there. If that be used, it 
means " that thing rede I wel." 

Line 33. A has thereon; the rest, therein. 

Line 50. A has now ; the rest, here. 

Line 122. A has of; the rest, with. 

Line 123. A has gates j the rest, gate. In line 154, the 
manuscripts vary between the singular and the plural. 

Line 132. A has oiiercastej the rest, of caste. 

Line 143. A has for nvhij the rest, for with. Though the 
former reading makes sense, there is little doubt that the lattt-r 
is correct. 

Line 358. A has most; the rest, ever. 

Line 379. In A alone this celebrated line reads, " Nature 
vicarye of the almyghty Lord ; " the rest, " Nature the vicar," 
&c., as it is commonly quoted. 

Line 394. A has aboven euery dcgrej the rest, above you in 
degre. 

Line 453. A has longere j the rest, lenger. 

Line 490. A has drow ; the rest, we?ite. 

Line 505. A has qnod; the rest, seyde. 

Line 509. A has onbide ; the rest, abide. 

Line 558. A has so before gent ; the rest omit it. 

Line 560. A in this line, and in lines 562, 563, and 569, 
speaks of the goose as masculine by using he^ his, and hi?nj 



COMPARISON OF THE MANUSCRIPTS. 31 

whereas the rest use the corresponding feminine forms. But, 
in line 558, A also employs the feminine hire. 

Line 5-57. A has take j the rest, love. 

Line 571. A has now j the rest,j^/. 

Line 573. A has 7n\'gJit ; the rest, wit. 

Line 583. A alone omits at before ?'ed. 

Line 585. A has til that j the rest have various readings. 

Line 600. A has bitt j the rest, ful. 

Line 611. A has sayde thanne a merlioimj the rest vary. 

Line 619 A has not ; the rest, never. 

Line 638. A has thoj the rest, Jiire. 

IIL In addition to these, there are instances in which A has 
special readings of its own that are inferior to those found in 
the other manuscripts, and in some cases are positive blunders. 
The following are all of any importance : — 

Line 7. A alone has slete j the rest vary, though most 
have flete. 

Line d^. A is pecuHar in having the reading, " And was 
sumdel disseyuable and ful of harde grace." It is clearly 
vi^rong. 

Line 82. A has his, referring to folk. The context and 
grammar both require here. 

Line ^^. A has folwyn iox fallen. 

Line Z'^. A has my selfior my bedde. In this, F agrees with 
it. 

Line no. A has by font for to-torn. 

Line 125. A reads syde ; the others, half The latter seems 
preferable, because it is a single gate made up of two halves. 

Line 137. A has that for there^ and omits tre, which is essen- 
tial to the sense. 

Line 160. A has stat for taste. 

Line 1 70. A has that as for wente in. 

Line 204. A has erthe for eyr. 

Line 261. A has feb^ for Venns. Furnivall suggests that 
Phoebus is denoted by it. At any rate, it is wrong, wliatever it 
means. 



32 INTR OD UC TlOISr. 

Line 401. A has ye lykyth for you lykyth. The ordinary 
usage of Chaucer's time required the pronoun to be in an 

oblique case with tliis verb. 

Line 438. A has areete for knit. 

Line 450. A omits and. 

Line 462. A has the; the others vary between ye^ she, and 
els. 

Line 471. A has that for but as. 

Line 516. A \\2isfy7ide for synge. 

Line 518. A has onquit ; the rest vary. 

Line 551. A has he for hire. 

Line ^']']. A has tersel for turtiL The blunder is repeated 
in line 583. 

Line 578. A has an unnecessary _/^r. 

Line 581. A has // before sheive. 

Line 593. This line in A is inferior ; the rest vary. 

Line 604. A has blythe for blyve. 

Line 614. A has werjn for v:erinis. 

Line 622, A has and who for who so. 

Line 627. A omits ryght, which is essential to the measure. 

Line 645. A has that for ryght. 

Line 662. A has pcigiiynge ior pey7te him. 

Line 663. A has what for giiyt. 

PECULIARITIES OF MS. A. 

There are some characteristics of this manuscript which are 
preserved with such consistency, that they deserve special men- 
tion. One of these is the regular employment of 7nyn and 
thyn for 7ny and thy. The usual practice at the time was to 
retain the n before vowels, and sometimes before words begin 
ning with the letter h; otherwise to drop it. But the copyist 
of this manuscript seems to have been a linguistic conserva- 
tive, and doubtless saw in the omission of this final n the 
ruin of the language. So particular was he on this point, that 
in line 422, where " my lady " had been originally written, the 
my had been corrected into 7nyfi. 

The same remark is also true of 7io and 7io7tj the former 



PECULIARITIES OF MS. A, 33 

being generally employed before consonants, the latter before 
vowels. But this manuscript has in line 478 non seruyse where 
the rest have no. 

Like all the others, this manuscript has the usual variations 
of spelling. Double forms of the same word occur frequently, 
and sometimes even in successive lines. For illustration, we 
\i2i\Qfeet 2iVL(S.fet^fo a.Tid/b(?, cok and kok^ cejiteiice and sentencey 
tersel and tercel^ noble and nobil^ she and sche, saw and say and 
seye, ek and eke^ eche and ech^ nat and not. One characteristic, 
however, which it does not share with any other manuscript, 
is the invariable spelling of fresh with the vowel o instead of e, 
as in lines 259, 354, 442. The noun denoting the agent has 
also invariably the termination -ere. This may have been a 
survival from the Anglo-Saxon ; for this final ^, in this case, 
is never pronounced, whether followed by a vowel or conso- 
nant. The words which show this ending are bildere {176), 
cartere (102), himtere {<)<))., jangelere (457), louere (105, 582), 
maker e (199), mortherere (353, 612), pip ere (178), redere (132). 
shetere (180), skornere (357), stroyere (360), and wrekere (361), 
and, apparently by a false- analogy with these, cofere (177), 
laughtere (S7S\ pHere (177). 

The comparative form of the adjective usually ends in ei'e^ 
the superlative rck este ; \)M\. forms in er a.nd est occur. This 
final e is not pronounced except in the case of vioste (375). 

Another peculiarity of the spelling of this manuscript is the 
occasional doubling of the vowels e and o, giving such forms 
as cleere^ deere, greejie, greete, reede^ seene, thee7-e^ weere, and 
hoote, 7noore, and yoore, along with the more common forms 
with a single vowel. 

But the most marked peculiarity of the spelling of the manu- 
script is the constant use of / or y for the ordinary e of the 
terminations. This appears, not only where the usual e has 
been weakened from an Anglo-Saxon a, 0, or ti, but where, in 
Anglo-Saxon itself, e was the vowel found. Thus we have the 
nouns brothyr^ donghtyr, httngir, modyr, somyr^ syluyr, watyr^ 
wondyr^ gardyn^ yry7t; the pronouns othir^ atiothir; the adjec- 
tives nakydj aldimextj the prepositions aftyr, undyr, betwixsyn. 



34 ^ INTRODUCTION. 

withoutyn ; and the conjunctions eythir, neyihir, whethzr. 
There are exceptions to this general statement, as in daughter 
(448), Jasper (230), laurer (182), rener (184), after (59), other (46, 
228), othere (690) ; but these are comparatively few. 

It is, however, in the inflection of nouns and verbs that this 
peculiarity is most consistently carried out. The following 
statements are true of this manuscript, throwing out of con- 
sideration contracted forms. 

The genitive singular ends in is ox ys (A. S. es^. 

The plural ends in is or ys (A. S. as). In line 193 conyes is, 
perhaps, an exception ; but bees, line 353, is not in this manu- 
script. 

The infinitive ends in yn (A. S. an) when the full form 
is used, otherwise in e. The only exception is wexeft (444). 

The second person singular of the present ends in ist or yst. 

The third person singular of the indicative present ends in 
yth or ith. The only exceptions are ajioyeth (518), cryeth (465), 
devyseth (317). 

The plural of both the present and of the preterite indicative 
ends m y7i. 

The past participle of the old or strong verbs ends in yn 
(A. S. en) if the full form is used, otherwise in e. The only 
exception is iboimden (268). 

The past participle of new or weak verbs ends in yd or id. 
To this there are regularly the following exceptions : coloured 
(442), de littered (491), enclyned (414), i/oimded (231), to-sliuered 
(493), used{s^c)\ wedded (2,55)- 

But when the past participle of these verbs ended in e, which 
was frequently inorganic, the first vowel of the termination 
was e, and not i ory. The following instances occur: assem- 
blede (367), cursede (495), engenderede (248), ipeyntede (284), 
keuerede {2.11), tmtrussede (268). The spelling appears to have 
risen, in some cases, from a confusion between the terminations 
of the preterite and the past participle. 

On the other hand, an original i or y of the root is weakened 
into e. Examples of this are lest for list^ wele for wil^ dede for 
dide, wrete for write, thredde for thridde, seris for sirys, stren* ; 



TEXT OF THIS EDITION. 35 

gis for strmgis, ferbrond ior firbrond, forbede for forbide^ferst 
ior fyrst, leiie for lyue. Usage is not invariable, however, espe- 
cially in the case of the last two. So, also, gres (206) appears 
in place of gras (Anglo-Saxon grds). 

TEXT OF THIS EDITION. 

The text of the present edition is based throughout on MS. 
Gg. 4.27 of the Cambridge University Library, designated here 
as MS. A. With a few exceptions, which will hereafter be 
noted, its spelling is followed throughout. Whatever variation 
there is in other respects can be ascertained by consulting the 
readings at the bottom of each page, where the word or words 
of the manuscript are placed directly after the words which have 
been substituted for them in the text. 

The characters u and v are retained as they exist in the 
manuscriiDt. The former, in particular, is used so constantly in 
our early literature where we should now use the latter, that it 
is desirable that the student should become familiar with it in 
such places, and especially in its position between two vowels ; 
as, for illustration, loue for love. The character -z/, which is of 
much less frequent occurrence, is often found where we should 
now employ «, particularly at the beginning of words. The 
instances in which it is so used in this poem are in the prefix 
un^ which appears as vii in vnbyjide, vncom7nyttid, vnkyiidcy 
vnnethe, vnio, vnlrewe, and in vndyr, vp, vpon {thervpon\ vs, 
vsage, and vsaujice. 

The character 5 is sometimes found in this manuscript ; but 
as it is confined to a few words, and as even in them it is not 
always employed, its existence is simply denoted by Italicizing 
the letter or letters which have been substituted for i"t. These 
are/ or ^ at the beginning of a word, ^^/; in the middle. Illus- 
trations are "^f " (119), "jere " (23), and x\ght (98). 

The character ]> occurs still more rarely in this manuscript. 
Whenever it does, it is represented by an Italicized th^ as in 
"o//zer" (46). 

The character/ was invariably represented in this manuscript 
by a capital /. As it will not be indicated in the notes or text, 



36 INTRODUCTION. 

I give here the original form of the words and the lines in which 
they occur. They are langelere (457), langelynge (345), lay 
(346), lelous (342), lelosye (252), loie (49, 208, 669), lolyte (226), 
Ion (451), luge (496, 629). In line iJSjJoye is not in this manu- 
script. 

In the present state of our knowledge, it has seemed advisable 
not to make any general alteration in the spelling, or to attempt 
to reduce it to any thing like a uniform standard. Especially is 
this true of the final ^, which I have concluded to let remain as 
found in the manuscript, with very few exceptions, though 
sorely tempted to make changes which might easily be justified. 
But the difficulties which these irregularities present, especially in 
the metre, are difficulties which the student should learn to over- 
come, at least until a wide-reaching investigation has brought 
about, among those best qualified to Judge, a general agreement 
as to the use of the final e. The text, therefore, represents 
in this particular the manuscript. The same statement is true 
in the case of all words where the variation is not noted at the 
bottom of the page, with the following exceptions : — 

Wherever 7ny and thy are found in the text, myn and ihyn 
occur in the manuscript. 

Where ivil or nil {nyl) occurs in the text, ivele or nele is 
found in the manuscript. The only exception is in line 222, 
where nyl is the original form. 

With respect to the readings, I have felt under no such obli- 
gation to regard the authority of the manuscript as binding. 
The first aim must be, of course, to get a text which shall 
recommend itself on the score both of sense and of metre ; and 
to do this I have compared every line in all the manuscripts, or 
parts of manuscripts, which have been printed by the Chaucer 
Society. No reading has been adopted which cannot be justi- 
fied on the authority of one or more manuscripts, with the 
exception of the following instances. Of the alterations made, 
and of the value of the text adopted, every one must judge ioi 
himself. 

Lines 167, 168, — 

And there if thaw hast cunnyrtg for tendite 
I slial the shewe mater of to write. 



TEXT OF THIS EDITION. 37 

All the manuscripts agree in reading haddist in the first line, 
and shal in the second, except Caxton's text, which reads 
sholde. The Scotch MS. J ought, perhaps, to be excepted, for 
it has hast; but in no case can it be regarded as an authority. 

Line 256, — 

With cri be nyghte and with septure in honde. 

This is the reading of MS. J, and also of Speght's edition ; 
but the other manuscripts have his either before honde^ or 
before sceptre. 

Lines 353, 354, — 

The swalwe, mortherere of the bees smale, 
That makyn hony of flouris fresshe of hewe. 

For bees the manuscripts read, without an exception, faults, 
except B, which has /lyes, and F, which has bryddis. These 
are all unaccountable readings. From Speght's edition I have 
taken bees. See the note on this passage. 

Line 380, — 

In this line I have inserted the firstand for the sake of the 
measure. 

That hot, cold, heuy, lyght, and moyst and dreye. 

This is not found in either the manuscripts or the printed 
editions to which I have access ; nor does lyght appear in any 
of them with a final e. The reading I have adopted may be 
justified by the following lines, particularly the first : — 

With flouris white, blewe, and yelwe and rede. (186) 
The dredful ro, the buk, and hert and hynde. (195) 

In both these cases the first and is found only in MS. A, 
though in the second its place is supplied in most of the others 
hy the. 

Lines 388, 389, — 

Ye come for to chese and fle youre way 
With makis as I prike yow with plesaunce. 

In some manuscripts the second line reads, — 

With youre makis as I prike yow with plesaunce. 

In others it reads, — 

Your makis as I prike yow with plesaunaj. 



38 INTRODUCTION. 

The one reading makes sense without metre ; the other, metre 
without sense. I have, without any authority, struck out the 
youre. It is perliaps well to give Speght's reading of these 
lines, — 

Ye doe chese your makes, and after flie away 
With hem, as I pricke yow with plesaunce. 

In this the doe is not only injurious to the metre, but is par- 
ticularly suspicious as belonging to Chaucer's grammar. 
Line 436, — 

Albe that she me neuere of loue behette. 

There is nothing precisely like this in any of the manuscripts. 
The nearest resemblance is in A, the reading of which will be 
found in a footnote. The rest agree in putting 7ne before behette. 

Line 445, — 

Of this formel whan that she herde al this. 

The that is found in no manuscript except J. V tx\i2.-^s formelt 
would be a better reading. 
Line 487, — 

Who so that hadde leyser and cunnyng. 

There is nothing precisely like the first part of this line in an} 
of the manuscripts. They vary between "Who that had(de)' 
of most, " Who-so hath " of E, and " But who that hath " of 
F. Speght's edition has " Who so that had." 

Line 524, — 

I charge of euery flok that ye on calle. 

This follows Caxton's text, except in substitutingyf^?/^ iorfolk. 
The others vary considerably. In Speght's edition the line 
reads as follows : — 

I charge of euery flocke ye shall one calL 

Line 637, — 

That it to yow oughte ben a suffisaunce. 

None of the manuscripts have this reading ; but B and D 
differ from it only in inserting to before ben. The omission of 
to after ouzhte is common in Chaucer. One illustration of it 
occurs in line 437. 



GRAMMATICAL FORMS. 39 

Line 641, — 

Like as is eueriche other creature. 

None of the manuscripts have precisely this reading. The 
word like is found only in E. 

Those who dislike any of the above readings can have the 
genuine text of the MS. by consulting the forms given at the 
bottom of the page. 

GRAMMATICAL FORMS. 

Under this heading will be given the principal grammatical 

forms in which the language of Chaucer in this poem differs 

from that now in use. To a certain extent, these statements are 

true only of the manuscript upon which this text is based, and 

may not be true of other poems, or of other manuscripts of this 

poem. 

NOUNS. 

The genitive singular ends in -is or -ys. 

Forms like heuene in heuene Mis (72) are rather to be regarded as an attributive 
use of the noun, like luaiyr in waiyr /aid {^zj), somyr in soniyr sunne (443), than 
as being in the genitive, especially as the regular form, henenys^ is found in line 58. 
In line 299, sunne of suntte shene appears ia the manuscript as sunnys. 

The plural ends in -is or -ys. 

For variations in -es, see page 34. 

The Anglo-Saxon consonant, or weak declension, is repre- 
sented by two words, — fo7t (103), "foes," and eyen (172, 341), 
" eyes." 

Plurals which have the same form as the singular are vers 
(124, 141) and yeer (473), and perhaps voys also in lines 191 
and 545. The words folk and foul are collective nouns, except 
in line 278, where the latter is plural. 

PRONOUNS. 

In Chaucer, the nominative plural of the pronoun of the sec- 
ond person is always j^, nevtr yow j the objective plural always 
yow^ never _)'^. 

The plural of the pronoun of the third person varies from 
modern English as follows ; — 



40 INTRODUCTION. 

A^om. they, they. 

Gen, here, their. 

Obj. hem, them. 

In the case of the reflexive pronouns, self undergoes no 
change in the plural ; and therefore hem self {22'^,, 234) represents 
" themselves." The singular form, my seluyn, " myself," occurs 
in line 297. 

In Chaucer's time, besides the older forms, oure, yoiire, hire, 
here, there were also equivalent absolute forms ending in s and 
in n, as oure, oures, ouren. The first two occur frequently in 
Chaucer. In this text we have oure, " ours," in line 545 ; youre, 
" yours," in line 642 ; and hire, " hers," in line 588 ; but also 
hires, " hers," in line 482. 

ADJECTIVES. 

The following general statements may be made in regard to 
the adjective. 

When the adjective is definite, that is, when it is preceded 
by the definite article, or a demonstrative or possessive pro- 
noun, it ends in e; the longe day (21), this shorte lessoun 
(609), that ilke day (433), his sharpe lok (331), myn olde bok 
(no). 

To this rule there are a number of exceptions. The most 
important, as regards this poem, are, that adjectives ending in 
ful do not take e j nor generally do adjectives of Romance 
origin, nor those consisting of two or more syllables ; as the 
dredful joye (3), and his crewel yre (i i). 

When the adjective is indefinite, it does not take a final e j as 
sek 7nan (161), of long seruyse (470). 

Occasional exceptions will be found to this rule. Adjectives 
which end in e do not, of course, come under it. 

The plural of monosyllabic adjectives ends in ej as olde 
feldys (22). 

In this manuscript there seems to have been an intention on the part of the scribe 
to denote the plural of his by hise, and the plural of myn by inytine ; as hise pleis (loi), 
hise arwis (2x2), mynne eyen (172). But it is not carried through with any consist- 
ency ; as his federys (334)1 ^w fet (337)« 



GRAMMATICAL FORMS, 41 

VERBS. 
The infinitive ends usually in ej also in yn^ as stondyn. 

For variations in en, see page 34. 

The following is the scheme of the terminations of the present 
tense of the verb, of both the old or strong conjugation; and of 
the new or weak : — 

Singular. Plural. 

1. e, I. yn, e. 

2. esf,yst^ 2. yn, e. 

3. ith,yth, 3. yn, e. 

According to the above scheme, the verb coinyn or come 
would be inflected in the present tense as follows : — 



Singular. Plural. 

I. com-e, 
( com-ist, 
C com-yst, 
( com-ith, 
1 com-yth. 



com-yn. 
come-e. 



The present participle in this text ends invariably in ynge, as 
com-ynge. 

A contracted form of the third person singular, ending in /, 
is found in certain verbs of Teutonic origin, whose roots termi- 
nate in d, /, or s. 

The following are those found in the text of this poem : — 

blent (600) = blindeth. last (49)=lasteth. 

cheest (623) = chooseth. let (i 5 1) = letteth. 

flit (3) = fleeth. lest (622) = listeth. 

fyght (io3) = fighteth. met (104, 105) = metteth, i.e., 

dreams. 

In the manuscript occur also j/zV (3) for slideth^ and stant 
(155) for stafidith. In the above list, cheest is not in the manu- 
script, which has chesith. 

There are also a few verbs which drop the connecting vowel 



42 INTR OD UC TION: 

i or J, such as have, seye, sej giving forms like hath, seyik, and 
seth, in the third person singular; and han or have, seyn or 
seye, sen or se, in the plural. 

The only exception in this MS. to the first person singular 
ending in e is sey, in lines 14 and 477 ; but, in line 566, seye is 
found. Of course, the preterite-presents shal, cajt, dar, and so 
forth, are excepted ; as likewise irregular verbs like do. 

For infinitives and plurals of the present in en, and for third 
persons singular in eth, see page 34. 

The imperative has a plural which ends in_y///, ith {th). The 
examples in this poem are iakith (543), herkcnyth (564), graimt- 
yth (643), beth (660), seruyth (660). In line 462, tak ye is an 
exception ; though here most of the manuscripts have tak she. 

PRETERITE OF THE STRONG CONJUGATION. 

The preterite of the old or strong conjugation does not differ, 
save in orthography, from the forms now in use, with the excep- 
tion of the two following instances : — 

In line 154, shof \s found for shoved. This verb has now 
passed entirely over to the weak conjugation. 

In line 297, welk occurs for walked. The manuscripts vary; 
but the majority have the latter form. 

Drow (490) for drew, ches (417) for chose, and say (211) for 
the more usual saw, are merely instances of orthographical 
variation. 

In Anglo-Saxon, the first and third persons singular of most 
of the strong verbs had the vowel of the root different from the 
vowel of the second person singular and of the plural : as- ic 
began, " I began; " we begunnon, "we begun." This distinction, 
from which originated the double form of the preterite in modem 
English, was more or less observed in Chaucer's time. It is 
pretty faithfully carried out in this manuscript in the very few 
instances in which plural preterites of the strong conjugation 
are found. 

Gan is the preterite singular, giinne the preterite plural, as 
will be seen in lines 257, 283, 531, and I'JT \ but in line 312 a 
plural gan occurs. 



GRAMMATICAL FORMS. 43 

Can and shall are originally preterites. Can is the singular 
form, ainiie the plural, as in line 332. Shal is the singular 
form, shul{le) the plural, as in lines 55, 80, 229, 400, 402, 6$d> _, 
but, in line 83, shal occurs as a plural. 

The preterite quod (quoth) undergoes no change in the plural 
in line 540, — the only place where it is used in that number. 

The past participle ends in yn (n) or e, and frequently with t 
(Anglo-Saxon ge) prefixed ; as iboundai (268). The n final is 
sometimes dropped where in modern English it is retained ; as 
do (688), " done." 

PRETERITE AND PAST PARTICIPLE OF THE WEAK CON- 
JUGATION. 

The terminations of the preterite of the weak conjugations 
are seen in the following scheme : — 

Singular. _ Plural. 

1. ede, de, te, / edyn, ede. 

2. , -l dyn, de. 

3. ede, de, te, ( tyn, te. 

The following are examples : — 

Singular. Plural. 

daunsede, ( daunsedyn. 

( daunsede. 

herde, ( herdyn. 

( herde. 

The first person ends in e in every case save espyed (250): the third person has 
the same ending, except in jtiethought (124) and might (201), 

The past participle ends in yd, id, and d or t; as ^assid, 
for7nyd, fild. 

Beside the contracted forms rent and k7tit, the forms abashat 
(447), bordit (589), and the participial adjective disjigurat {2.12)^ 
are to be noted. 

For variation in ed and ede, see page 34. 

Ths preterite is frequently denoted by the past tense of the 
verb gin used with the infinitive, usually corresponding to the 



44 INTRO D UC TION. 

modern English did under the same circumstances ; as So 

huge a noyse gan they make (312), where gan ^;iake = did make 

= made. 

METRE. 

In this poem, as generally in Chaucer, the line consists of 
ten syllables, five unaccented and five accented ; or an unac- 
cented syllable is added at the end, making the line consist of 
eleven syllables. Whether this final unaccented syllable shall 
be invariably pronounced is a matter that may be left to the 
taste of the individual reader. It may have been always pro- 
nounced in Chaucer's time ; but when the eleventh syllable 
ends, as it very frequently does, in e, its pronunciation is apt 
to be disasreeable to modern ears. 

The general rule in regard to the pronunciation of the final 
£ within the verse is, that it is pronounced before words begin- 
ning with a consonant, but that it is elided, and therefore not 
pronounced, before words beginning with a vowel, before the 
personal pronouns of the third person beginning with the 
letter /i, and frequently before various forms of the verb /lave. 

The following metrical analysis of the first stanza will show 
the working of this rule. Unaccented syllables have over them 
the mark (") ; accented, the mark ("). When, in any case, a 
vowel is not pronounced, though not coming under the opera- 
tion of the rule, it is enclosed in a parenthesis. 

The lyf | so short | the craft ] so long | to lern | e, 
Thassay | so sharp, | so hard | the conq | ueryng | Cf 
The dred | ful joye | ahvey | that flit | so yern | e, 
Al this I mene I | be I6u(e), | that my | felyng | e 
Aston I yeth with | his won | dyrful | werkyng | e 
So sore | iwis, | that whan | I on 1 hym thynk | e, 
Nat wot I I wel | wher that | I flete | or synk | e. 

The reader must also be prepared to throw the accent on a 
different syllable in the word from that now accented ; as 
myrakHis in 

Of his I m^rak | lis and | his crew [ el yr | e (i i). 

To the general rule there are numerous exceptions. The 
only safe principle for the student to follow is, that Chaucer did 



METRE. 45 

not write an inharmonious line ; and, if one appears so, the line 
is either corrupt, or the manner of reading it is incorrect. At 
the same time, a careful study of the following examples will 
enable the inexperienced reader to overcome the most frequent 
difficulties that present themselves. 

The accented syllable sometimes precedes the unaccented; as 
quod in 

Quod the | turtil | if it | be your ) e wil (5 10). 

A final e is frequently not pronounced when the next word 
begins with a consonant, as in loue of line 4 of the first stanza. 
This is almost invariably the case with the final e of the ter- 
mination ede (not de) of the preterite tense, of the termination 
ynge of the present participle, of nouns ending in ere denoting 
the agent, and of the possessive pronouns ourcy youre, hire^ 
and Iiere. 

Agon I it Jiupp I ed{e) me | for to I behold I e (i8). ' 

The sayl | yng{e) fyr | the cip | ress(e) deth | to pleyn | e (179). 

The wer | y hwit \ er{e) slep | ynge in | his bed (gg). 

And that | our{e) pres | ent world | is lyu | ys spac | e (53). 

The hed | is in ] the vvelle | and with | Jiiri/) wil | e (215). 

Ye com [ e f5r | to chese | and fle | your{e) wey (388). 

S6m(e) bes | yede hem | Iier{e) bryd | dis forth [ to br^ng | e (192). 

On the other hand, a final e is sometimes pronounced when 
the next word begins with a vowel, especially when it occurs 
before the caesural pause ; as kynde in 

Aftyr I yoiir(e) kynd | e, eu(e) r ) iche as | yow | lyk ] yth (401). 

The ending es {is, ys) of the genitive singular and of the 
nominative plural usually makes a distinct syllable in mono- 
syllabic nouns : but in polysyllabic it is usually united with 
the preceding syllable by the elision of the vowel ; as, — 



But 



Made In | the leu | ys grene | a noy | se soft | e (202). 
I can I not se | that ar | giiraent (I)s | avayl | e (338). 

"Wer(e) tre 1 is clad | with leu(y)s | that ay | shal last | e (rjs). 
Right as I betwix | s^n ad | amaunt | is two (148). 



Contractions occur frequently. Thus ne hadde is often to 
be pronounced naddej ne zs, to be pronounced nisj whetJier^ to 



46 INTRO D UC TION. 

be pronounced wher^ in which way it is frequently written; 
eiiere and neuere are sounded like the modern e'er and ne^er^ 
and ouer like o'er. The vowels e^ /, or j, and sometimes 
others, are often either elided, or rapidly ghded over, especially 
when they belong to terminations. Examples of these contrac- 
tions are, — 

And ek I I «^ had \ de that | thjrng that | I wold | e (91). 
And in | effect | yit be | we neuere \ the nere (619). 
For oiier \ al wher(e) | that I | mynne ey | en cast | e (172). 
Cdm{y)th al | this new | e corn | from yer | to yer | e (23). 
And syn | that hir(e) | loii{y)th non | so wel | as I (435). 
For thow I she dey{e)de \ I wold(e) | non oth | ir male | e (587). 
And//?r k{e)nyth which | a res | oun I | shal bryng ] e (564). 
The thef | the choughe | and ek | the. j dftg{e)l \ yngi^e) pye (345). 
That eu{e) \ ry sterr(e) | shuld(e) come | Into | his plac | e (68). 
Go lew{e)d \ be thow | whil that | the world | may dur | e (616). 
Al oJ>{y)n I am I | passe in ] and sped | the fast | e (133). 
Chap{i)ter \ ts se7t{e)ne \ it hadde | of hei({e)ne | and hell | e (32). 
Han hold(e) | th]^ pes | than shcw{y)d \ thy nys | ete (572). 
So sore | ahash{d)t ( was she | tyl that | Natur | e (447). 

Other vowels are sometimes elided beside e^ or rapidly 
glided over ; as, — 

I saw I Beute | without ] yn any \ atyr (225). 
I ax I § res | pit for | to avis | e me (648). 

On the other hand, an e in the middle of a word is frequently 
pronounced where it would not be in modern English ; as, — 

I prey(e) | to yow | this be | my jug | ement (431). 
The thros | tel old, | the fr5st | ^feld \ efdre (364). 
Benygn | ^^ ( to chese | or for | to tak | e (370). 

Several other variations from modern pronunciation occur, 
which practice in reading will enable the student to become 
familiar with, and practice alone ; as, in the following lines, 
soulis is a trisyllable, and aiutcestre («//«' ster) is a dissyllable. 

And erthe | and so | ulis | that there | in dwell | e (33). 
And how I his aun | cestre Af | frycan | s5 der | e (41). 

There are also a large number of instances in this manuscript 
where the final e of nouns and verbs is not pronounced before 



METRE. 47 

a consonant, and some instances in the case of other parts of 
speech. In this respect, manuscripts vary. 

Many things, it may be stated in conclusion, have been em- 
braced in the Introduction, which should, perhaps, more strictly 
have found a place in the notes. But it has seemed, on the whole, 
a more satisfactory arrangement to state by themselves the 
observations that were made on any particular topic, rather than 
leave them scattered up and down various pages ; especially so 
when they are not of interest to all, but to a comparative few. 
The glossary has been made as full as possible, in order to 
reduce the necessity of annotation to the lowest point. If my 
own experience goes for any thing, nothing is more harmful, in 
the editing of an English classic, than notes, which, in passages 
at all obscure, explain, or set out to explain, the meaning of an 
author, when the discovery of the meaning does not depend 
upon the knowledge of a particular fact, or of the sense of a 
particular word, but upon the exercise by the student of his own 
reflective powers. Especially is this true of most points of 
doubtful or disputed interpretation. The student in almost 
every case is certain to take the meaning assigned to the pas- 
sage in the notes, without any thought on his own part ; and, in 
consequence, he loses entirely one of the most desirable results 
of the proper study of an author in one's own tongue, — the 
power of forming independent judgment, the faculty of clearing 
up for one's self difficulties which require for their solution not 
knowledge, but attention and reflection. Notes ought to explain 
references to facts at all obscure ; for facts are infinite, and no 
one has a ridit to assume that what is familiar to him is neces- 
sarily familiar to others. But with these given, and all uncom- 
mon meanings of words defined, the student should be required 
to find out for himself, in most instances, the sense of his 
author. 

The remarks upon grammar and versification are based almost 
entirely upon Prof. Child's " Observations upon the Language 
of Chaucer," contained in the Memoirs of the American Acad- 
emy of Arts and Sciences, new series, vol. viii., part ii. It 



48 introduction: 

is hardly necessary to add, that without the texts and other 
aids furnished by the Chaucer Society, under the energetic 
direction of Mr. Furnivall, the preparation of an edition of this 
poem, for even the temporary purpose for which it is designed, 
would have been an impossibility. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 

I. 

The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne, 

Thassay so sharp, so hard the conquerynge, 

The dredful joye alwey that flit so jerne, 

Al this mene I be loue, that my felynge 

Astonyeth with his wondyrful werkynge 5 

So sore iwis, that whan I on hym thynke, 

Nat wot I wel wher that I flete or synke. 

II. 

For' al be that I knowe nat Loue in dede, 

Ne wot how that he quitith folk here hyre, 

Kit happith me ful ofte in bokis rede 10 

Of his myraklis and his crewel yre ; 

There rede I wel he wil be lord and syre : 

I dar nat seyn, his strokis been so sore, 

But God save swich a lord ; I can na more. 

III. 

Of vsage, what for lust and what for lore, 15 

On bokis rede I ofte as I yow tolde. 

But wherf ore that I speke al this ? Nat ^ore 

Agon, it happede me for to beholde 

Vpon a bok was write with letteris olde ; 

And thervpon a certeyn thing to lerne, 20 

The longe day ful faste I redde and j'erne. 



I. Ua»g-] longe. But cf 1. 


661. 


12. \.There'\ That. 


3. [^//] slit. 




14. \can\ sej'. 


5. [Asio7iyei7z] Astonyd, 




14. \_more\ moore. 


7. [_^te] slete- 




17. [yore] >'oore. 


ro. [rede] rcede. 




19. iwrzie} wrete. 


II. [//is before niyraklis\ hise. 


5« 



52 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 

IV. 

For out of olde feldys, as men sey, 

Comyth al this newe corn from jver to ^ere ; 

And out of olde bokis, in good fey, 

Comyth al this newe science that men lere. 25 

But now to jDurpos as of this matere : — 

To rede forth so gan me to delite 

That al that day methou^>^te but a lyte. 



V. 

This bok, of which I make mencioun, 

Entytlid was right thus as I schal telle : — 30 

" Tullyus of the Drem of Scipion ; " 

Chapiteris seuene it hadde of heuene and helle, 

And erthe, and soulis that therein dwelle, 

Of whiche, as shortly as I can it trete, 

Of his centence I wil jj^ow seyn the grete. 35 



VI. 

Fyrst tellith it whan Scipion was come 

In Alfrik, how he metyth Massynisse, 

That hym for joie in armys hath inome: 

Thanne tellyth he here speche and of the blysse 

That was betwix hem til the day gan mysse ; 40 

And how his auncestre, Affrycan so dere, 

Gan in his slep that ni^/zt to hym apere. 

22. [iw<2f] ofte. 35- [ir^^'i'^] greete. 

29. MS. has ^ before ?«^«c/<7««. 37. [7«(?0'MJ metyh. 

30. \,etitytlid'\ entytlt. 39. \_specJie^ spche. 

30. VrighfX al. 40. \betivix'\ betwaxsyn. 

31. \_Scipioji\%o'Ca\o^x> 40. [if// Z/^^] thil that. 
33. \tl'^*'ein\ thereon. 41. \dere\ deere. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 53 

VII. 

Thanne tellith it, that from a sterry place, 

How Affrycan hath hym Cartage schewid, 

And warnede hym beforn of al his grace, 45 

And seyde what man, lernyd o///er lewid, 

That lovith comoun jDrofyt, wel ithewid, 

He shal into a biysful place wende, 

There as joye is //^at last withoutyn ende. 



VIII. 

Thanne axede he, if folk that here been dede, 50 

Han lyf and dwellynge in anothir place ; 

And Affrican seyde, Ke, withoutyn drede ; 

And that oure present worldis l}aiys space 

Nys but a maner deth, what weye we trace ; 

And rightful folk schul gon aftyr they deye 55 

To heuene, and schewede hym the galaxye. 



IX. 

Thanne shewede he hym the litel erthe that here is, 

At regard of the heuenys quantite ; 

And after shewede he hym the nyne speris ; 

And aftyr that the melodye herde he, 60 

That comyth of thilke speris thryes thre, 

That welle is of musik and melodye 

In this world here and cause of armonye. 

47. \lovitJ£\ louede. 53 . [worldis] wordis. 

48. [j^«/] shulde. 56. [g^alaxye] galylye. 
50. Uiere] now. 57. Htel not in this MS. 
52. \.ye\y2L. 



54 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, ] 

X. 

Than bad he hym, syn erthe was so lyte, j 

And ful of tunnent and of harde grace, 65 
That he ne schulde hym in this world delyte : 

Thanne tolde he hym, in certeyn jj^eris space, ' 

That euery sterre shulde come into his place, \ 

Ther it was ferst ; and al schulde out of mynde, 1 

That in this world is don of al mankynde. 70 ; 



XI. 

Than preyede hym Scipion to telle hym al 

The weye to come into that heuene blis : 

And he seyde, " Know thyself ferst immortal, 

And loke ay besyly thow werche and wysse 

To comoun jDrofit, and thow shalt not mysse 75 

To comyn swiftly to this place deere, 

That ful of blysse is and of soulys cleere. 



XII. 

" But brekeris of the lawe, soth to seyn, 

And lykerous folk, aftyr that they ben dede, 

Schul whirle aboute therthe, alwey in peyne, 80 

Tyl manye a world be passid, out of drede. 

And that for^euyn is here wickid dede ; 

Than shal //zey come into this blysful place 

To whiche to comyn God synde us his grace." 

65. MS. reads, And was sutndel dis- 77. <?/* before sotilis not in this MS. 

seyuable and ful of harde grace. 78. \brekeris\ brekeis, 

66. \this\ the. 80. \therthe'\ thexQ 

71. [Scipion] cypyon. 82. [here wickid] his weked. 

73. [imvtortal] inmortal. 83. [come] comyn. 

75. [shalt] shat. 84. his not in this MS. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 55 

XIII. 

The day gan fallen, and the derke ny^//t, 85 

That revith bestis from here besynesse, 

Berafte me my bok for lak of 13'ght, 

And to my bedde I gan me for to dresse, 

Fulfyld of thou^/^t and busy heuynesse ; 

For bothe I hadde thyng which that I nolde, 90 

And ek I ne hadde that thyng that I wolde. 



XIV. 

But fynally my spirit at the laste, 

Forwery of my labour al the day, 

Tok reste, that made me to slepe faste ; 

And in my slep I mette, as thdX I lay, 95 

How Affrican ry^//t in the same aray 

That Scipion hym saw byfore that tyde. 

Was come and stod x\gh\. at my bedis syde. 



XV. 

The wery huntere, slepynge in his bed, 

To wode a^en his mynde goth anon ; 100 

The juge dremyth how his pleis been sped ; 

The cartere dremyth how his cartis gon ; 

The riche of gold, the knyght fy^//t with his fon ; 

The syke met he drynkyth of the tunne ; 

The louere met he hath his lady wonne. 105 

85. [/ailert] folwyn. 97. [Scipion] cipion. 

88. [wy bedde] myn self. 97. [saw] say. 

9a which, not in this MS. 101. [.his] hise. 

91. that before ikyng, not in this MS. 102. [cartis] carte is. 



56 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 

XVI. j 

I can nat seyn if that the cause were I 

For I hadde red of Affrican byforn, ; 
That made me to mete that he stod there ; 

But thus seyde he : " Thow hast the so wel born ; 

In lokynge of myn olde bok to-torn, no \ 

Of whiche Macrobye roughte nat a lyte, \ 



That sumdel of thy labour wolde I quyte. 



» i 

1 



XVII. 

Cytherea, thow blysful lady swete ! 

That with thy firbrond dauntist whom thow lest, 

And madist me this sweuene for to mete, 115 

Be thow myn heipe in this, for thow mayst best ! 

As wisly as I saw the north-north-west, 

Whan I began my sweuene for to write 

So ^if me myght to ryme and ek tendyte. 

XVIII. 

This forseyde Affrican me hente anon, 120 

And forth with hym vnto a gate brou^/zte 

Ry^/^t of a park, wallid with grene ston ; 

And ouyr the gate with letteris large iwrought 

There were vers iwriten, as me thou^/zt, 

On eythir halfe, of ful gret difference, 125 

Of which I schal now seyn the pleyn sentence : — 



106. [/ ca7i\ can I. 


117. {sawl seye. 


107. U'y/or7t\ by-foren. 


117. l^iorth-westlnox •<n^%\. 


108. [there'\ theere. 


122. [(?/"] with. 


110. [,io-tor7i]hy-iora. 


123. igcite] gatis. 


J 13. iCytherea] Cythera. 


123. \iwrough{\ I-wrowht 


1 14. [firbrondl ferbrond. 


124. \iwriten\ I-wrete. 


117. \wisly'\ wisely. 


125. \kalfe\ syde. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 



57 



XIX. 

" Thurh me men gon into that blysful place 
Of hertis hele and dedly woundis cure ; 
Thurh me men gon vnto the welle of grace, 
There grene and lusty May shal euere endure ; 
This is the weye to al good auenture ; 
Be glad, thow redere, and thy sorwe of caste ; 
Al opyn am I, passe in, and sped the faste." 



133 



XX. 

" Thurh me men gon," than spak that othir syde, 

" Vnto the mortal strokis of the spere, 135 

Of whiche disdayn and daunger is the g}''de ; 

There neuere tre shal freut ne leuys here ; 

This strem jfow ledith to the sorweful were, 

There as the fisch in prysoun is al drye ; 

The eschuyng is only the remedye." 140 



XXI. 

These vers ot gold and blak iwriten were, 
Of whiche I gan astonyd to beholde ; 
For with that on encresede ay my fere, 
And with that othir gan myn herte bolde ; 
That on me hette, that othir dede me colde ; 
No wit hadde I, for errour, for to chese 
To entre or flen, or me to saue or lese. 



I4S 



127, 129, 134. \TJmr1i\ Thorw. 

129. \v7it6\ on-to. 

130. \_T}iere\ Theere. 
132. \of caste\ ouercaste. 
134' [spak] spat. 

135. \_ynio] Onto. 
137. [Therel That. 



137. \tre']y\t. 

138. The not in this MS. 

140. [The eschuyng] Ther* shewyng. 

141. [vers] wers. 

141. {iwriteti] I wetyn, 
143. \:witJ{\ whi. 



58 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 

XXII. 

Right as betwixsyn adamauntis two 

Of euene my^/^t a pece of yryn set, 

Ne hath no m^yght to meue too ne fro, 150 

For what that on may hale, that othir let, 

Ferde I that nyste whethir me was bet 

To entre or leue, til Affrycan, my gide. 

Me hente and shof in at the gate wide. 



XXIII. 

And seyde, " It stondith writyn in thy face 155 

Thyn errour, though thow telle it not to me , 

But dred the not to come into this place ; 

For this writyng nys nothyng ment bi the, 

Ne by non but he Louys servaunt be ; 

For thow of loue hast lost thy taste, I gesse, 160 

As sek man hath of swet and byttyrnesse. 



XXIV. 

" But natheles, althow that thow be dul, 

Kit that thow canst not do ^it mayst thow se ; 

For manye a man that may nat stonde a pul. 

It likyth hym at wrastelyng for to be, 165 

And demyn jj^it, wher he do bet or he ; 

And there if thow hast cunnyng for tendite, 

I shal the shewe mater of to wryte." 



152. [3^/] best. 


160. [thy taste] thyn stat. 


154. [iW^] Ne. 


161. [Iiaih] hat. 


154. {sates\ gatis. 


167. [hast] haddist. 


155. [stondith'] stant. 


168. [<2/"]for. 


159. iservaunil serwaunt. 





THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 59 

XXV. 

With that myn hand he tok in his anon, 

Of whiche I comfort kaughte, and wente in faste. 170 

But Lord ! so was I glad and vvel begon ! 

For oueral where that I raynne eyen caste, 

Were treis clad with leuys that ay shal laste, 

Eche in his kinde of colour fressh and greene 

As emeroude, that joy it was to seene. 175 

XXVI. 

The byldere ok, and ek the hardy assh, 

The pilere elm, the cofere vnto carayne, 

The box tre pipere, holm to whippis lasch, 

The saylynge fyr, the cipresse deth to pleyne, 

The shetere ew, the asp for shaftys pleyne, 180 

The olyue of pes, and ek the dronke vyne, 

The victor palm, the laurer to deuyne. 



XXVII. 

A gardyn saw I ful of blosmy bowys, 

Vpon a ryuer in a grene mede, 

There as that swetnesse eueremore inow is, 185 

With flouris white, blewe, and j'elwe, and rede, 

And colde welle stremys, nothyng dede. 

That swymyn ful of smale fischis lite. 

With fynnys rede and skalis syluyr bry^^te . 



170. \comfor{\ confort. 183. \hlosmy\ blospemy, 

170. \wenU iri\ that as. 184. \ryuer\ reuer. 

171. \beg07i\ begoon. 185. \that\ then 

174. \_fressJi\ frosch. 188. \,swymyn\ swemyn. 

175. \Joy it was\ sothe was. 



] 

6o TJ/£ PARLAMENT OF FOULES, \ 

XXVIII. \ 

On euery bow the biyddis herde I synge, 190 i 

With voys of aungel in here armonye ; • 

Some besyede hem here bryddis forth to brynge ; 

The litele conyes to here pley gunne hye ; 

And ferthere al aboute I gan aspye 

The dredful ro, the buk, and hert and hynde, 195 \ 

Squyrelis, and bestis smale of gentil kyude. • 



XXIX. 

Of instrumentis of stringis in acord 

Herde I so pleye a rauyshing swetnesse, 

That God, that makere is of al and lord, 

Ne herde neuere betyr, as I gesse : ^ 200 

Therwith a wynd — onethe it myght be lesse — 

Made in the leuys grene a noyse softe 

Acordaunt to the bryddis song alofte. 

XXX. 

The eyr of that place so attempre was, 

That neuere was greuaunce of hot ne cold j 205 

There was ek euery holsum spice and gras j 

Ne no man there may waxe sek ne old ; 

yit was there joye more a thousand fold 

Than man can telle, ne neuere was it nyghte, 

But ay cler day to any manys syghte. 210 



192. \,Some\ So. 206. \gras\ gres, 

197. \iiistr7imentis\ Instreumentis. 207. Ne wanting in this MS. 

197. \_siringis\ strengis, 207. [there may waxe'\ may waxe there. 

198. [a] &. 208. [_thousa7id'\ thousent. 
204. [.eyr\ erthe. 209. [was\ wolde. 

206. [was\ wex. 2 10. [any^ ony. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 6x 

XXXI. 

Vndyr a tre besyde a welle I say 

Cupide oure lord his arwis forge and file ; 

And at his fet his bowe al redy lay ; 

And wel his doughtyr temperede al the whyle 

The hedis in the welle, and with hire wile 215 

She couchede hem aftyr as they shulde serve, 

Some for to sle, and some to wounde and kerve. 



XXXII. 

Tho was I war of Plesaunce anon ryght, 

And of Aray, and Lust, and Curteysie, 

And of the Craft that can and hath the myght 220 

To don by force a wight to do folye ; 

Disfigurat was she, I nyl nat lye ; 

And by hemself vndyr an ok, I gesse, 

5aw I Delyt that stod with Gentilesse. 



XXIII. 

I saw Beute withoutyn any atyr, 225 

And Fouthe full of game and jolyte, 

Fool-hardynesse, and Flaterye, and Desyr, 

Messagerye, and Meede, and oth^x thre ; 

Here namys shul not here be told for me : 

And vpon pileris grete of jasper longe, 230 

I saw a temple of bras ifounded stronge. 



212. [^w] hise, cf. 13,213,379. 221. \byforce\\ie.-iQX^ 

214. \the\ this. 221. \.do\ don. 

215. \hedls\ heuedis. 225. Wny\ ony. 

216. as not in the MS. 230. \grete\ greete. 



62 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. \ 

XXXIV. ' 

Aboute that temple daunsedyn alwey ; 

Wemen inowe, of whiche some ther were ^ 

Fayre of fiemself, and some of hem were gay; \ 

In kirtelis al discheuele wente they there ; 235 ; 

That was here offys alwey jer be jere ; i 

And on the temple of dovis white and fayre j 

Saw I syttynge manye an hundred peyre. ! 



XXXV. 

Byfore the temple dore ful sobyrly 

Dame Pes sat with a curtyn in hire bond ; 240 

And by hire syde, wondyr discretly, 

Dame Pacience syttynge there I fond 

With face pale vpon an hil of sond ; 

And aldirnext, withinne and ek withoute, 

Byheste and Art, and of here folk a route. 245 



XXXVI. 

Withinne the temple, of sykys bote as fyr 

I herde a swow that gan aboute renne ; 

Whiche sikis were engendrid with desyr, 

That madyn euery auter for to brenne 

Of newe flaume : and wel espyed I thenne, 250 

That al the cause of sorwe that they drye 

Cam of the bittere goddesse Jelosye, 



233. \were\ weere. 244. [aldirnexf] aldirnex. 

235. [kirtelis'] kertelis. 246. [hote'] hoote. 

236. [yere^yQ&re. 246. [/j/r] fuyr. 

237. [dovis] dowis. 248. [engettdrid] engenderede. 

238. [;«o/^r^^] hunderede. 251. [a/] alle. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 



63 



XXXVII. 

The god Priapus saw I, as I wente, 
Withinne the temple in souereyn place stonde, 
In swich aray as whan the asse hym shente, 
With cri be nyghte and with septure in honde : 
Ful besyly men gunne asaye and fonde 
Vpon his hed to sette of sundry hewe 
Garlondis ful of flourrys fresshe and newe. 



255 



XXXVIII. 

And in a priue corner in desport 26c 

Fond I Venus and hire porter Richesse, 

That was ful noble and hautayn of hyre porte ; 

Derk was that place, but aftyrward lightnesse 

I ^aw a lyte — vnnethe it my^/^te be lesse j 

And on a bed of gold sche lay to reste, 265 

Tyl that the hote sunne gan to weste. 



XXXIX. 

Hyre gilte heris with a goldene thred 
Ibounden were, vntressed as sche lay, 
And nakyd from the brest vp to the hed 
Men myghte hyre sen ; and, sothly for to say, 
The remenaunt was wel keuered, to my pay, 
Ryght with a subtyl couercheif of Valence ; 
Ther nas no thikkere clothe of defense. 



270 



25 V w^a«]wan. 

256. MS. has his before honde. 

258. \_sundry\ sundery. 

259. \_fresshe\ frosche. 

261. \Venns\ feb3. 

262. \hautay7i\ hauntayn. 



268. \v7itressed'\ vntrussede. 

270. \ittyghte\ my^Athe. 

271. \keuered'\ keuerede. 

272. l^Ryghff^ Rygh. 

273. \clothe\ cloth. 

273. MS. has no before defense» 



64 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 



XL. 

The place ^af a thousand sauouris sote, 

And Bacus, god of wyn, sat hire besyde, 255 

And Ceres next, that doth of hungir bote ; 

And, as I seyde, amyddis lay Cypride, 

To wham on kneis two j^onge folk there cryde 

To ben here helpe ; but thus I let hem lye, 

And ferthere in the temple I gan espie 280 



XLI. 

That, in dispit of Dyane the chaste, 

Ful manye a bowe ibroke hyng on the wal 

Of maydenys, swiche as gunne here tymys waste 

In hyre seruyse ; ipeynted was oueral 

Ful manye a story, of whiche I touche shal 285 

A fewe, as of Caliste, and Athalante, 

And manye a mayde of whiche the name I wante. 



XLII. 

Semyramis, Candace, and Hercules, 

Biblis, Dido, Thisbe and Piramus, 

Tristram, Isoude, Paris, and Achilles, 

Eleyne, Cleopatre, and Troilus, 

Silla, and ek the modyr of Romulus : — 

Alle these were peyntid on that othir syde, 

And al here loue, and in what plyt they deyde. 



290 



274. [thousand'\ thousenU 

276. [Ceres] sereis. 

276. [5oie] boote. 

277. [sejfde] seyide. 

278. [cryde] cryede. 

284. [i/eynied] I-peyntede. 



284. [was] were. 

286. [Caliste] Calycte. 

285. [Seiityramis] Semyramus. 

290. [I sonde] Isaude. 

291. This line in MS. is Elyne, Clio- 

^aire, & Troylls. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 65 

XLIII. 

Whan I was come a^en vnto the place 295 

That I of spak, that was so sote and grene, 

Forth welk I tho my seluyn to solace : 

Tho was I war wher that ther sat a quene, 

That, as of lyght the someris sunne shene 

Passith the sterre, right so ouermesure 300 

She fayrere was than an" creature. 

XLIV. 

And in a launde, vpon an hil of flouris, 

Was set this noble goddesse Nature ; 

Of braunchis were hire hallis and hire bouris 

Iwrought after hire cast and hire mesure j 305 

Ne there was foul that comyth of engendrure, 

That they ne were al prest in hire presence 

To take hire dom and ^eve hire audyence. 



XLV. 

For this was on seynt Valentines day, 

Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make, 310 

Of euery kynde that men thynke may ; 

And that so huge a noyse gan they make, 

That erthe, and eyr, and tre, and euery lake 

So ful was, that onethe was there space 

For me to stonde, so ful was al the place. 315 

298. \<jtiette\ queene. 305. [Iwrought] I-wrough. 

299. [lyghf] lygh. 305. [mesure] mesuris. 

299. [sunne] sunnys. 309. [ Valentines] Volantynys. 

301. [any] ony. 312. [huge] hedge. 

3o4» 3oS> 307- In these lines, hire ap- 
pears as here m the MS 



66 



^HE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 



XLVI. 

And right as Aleyn in the Pleynt of Kynde 

Deuyseth Natur in aray and face ; 

In swich aray men myghte hire there fynde. 

This nobil emperesse, ful of grace, 

Bad euery foul to take his owene place, 

As they were wont alwey, from jer to ^ere, 

Seynt Valentines day to stondyn there. 



32\ 



XLVII. 

That is to seyn, the foulis of rauyne 
Were heyest set ; and thanne the foulis smale, 
That etyn as hem nature wolde enclyne, 
As werm, or thyng of whiche I telle no tale ; 
And watyr foul sat loweste in the dale ; 
But foul that lyuyth be sed sat on the grene, 
And that so fele that wondyr was to sene. 



325 



XLVIII. 

There myghte men the ryal egle fynde, 330 

That with his sharpe lok persith the sunne ; 

And othere eglis of a lowere kynde 

Of whiche that clerkis wel deuyse cunne : 

Ther was the tiraunt with his federys dunne 

And greye, I mene the goshauk that doth pyne 335 

To bryddis for his outrageous rauyne. 



316. \right'\ righ. 
321. \_wont\ wonyd. 

321. [yerelyeere, 

322. [Valeniines] yo\a.ntynys. 
322. [i'i^re] theere. 

^24. ikg nr)t in this MS. 



326. [0/ whiche I telle no tale\ I telle 

myn tale. 

327, \lcnveste\ loueste. 
335. \_And'\ A. 

335- \£reye'\?,xe.y. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 67 

XLIX. 

The gentyl faucon, that with his feet distra}Tiyth 

The kyngis hand ; the hardy sperhauk eke, 

The quaylis foo ; the merlyon that paynyth 

Hymself ful ofte the larke for to seke ; 340 

There was the dove with hire eyen meke j 

The jelous swan a^ens hire deth that syngith ; 

The oule ek that of deth the bode bryngyth. 



The crane, the geaunt, with his trompis soun, 

The thef the choughe, and ek the jangelynge pye, 345 

The skornynge jay, the eHs fo heroun, 

The false lapwynge ful of trecherye, 

The starlyng that the conseyl can bewreye, 

The tame ruddok and the coward kyte, 

The kok that orloge is of thorpis lyte. 350 



LI. 

The sparwe Venus sone, the nyhtyngale 

That clepith forth the grene leuys newe ; 

The swalwe, mortherere of the bees smale 

That makyn hony of flouris fresshe of hewe ; 

The wedded turtil with hire herte trewe ; 355 

The pokok with his aungelis federys bryghte ; 

The fesaunt, skornere of the cok be nyghte. 

337. \faucotC\ facoun. 345. \chousJie\ crow. 

339. \nurlyon\ Merilioun. 349. {ruddok^ rodok. 

341. [dove] douue. 353. I6ees] foulis. 

344. ikg before gtaunt wanting in this 354. [fresshe 0/ heweliro^c^i^ & ntyit. 

MS. 356. [/ederysl clotliis. 



68 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 

j 

LII. \ 

The wakyr goos, the cokkow euere vnkynde, j 

The popynjay ful of delicasye, j 
The drake stroyere of his owene kynde, 360 \ 

The stork the wrekere of avouterye, j 

The hote cormeraunt of glotenye, i 

The rauen wys, the crowe with vois of care, j 

The throstel old, the frosty feldefare. ! 



LIII. 

What shulde I seyn ? Of foulys euery kynde 365 

That in this world hath federis and stature, 

Men myghtyn in that place assembled fynde 

Byfore the noble goddesse Nature : 

And eueriche of hem dede his besy cure 

Benygnely to chese or for to take, 370 

By hire acord, his formel or his make. 



LIV. 

But to the poynt. Nature held on hire hond 

A formele egle, of shap the gentilleste, 

That euere she among hire werkis fond, 

The moste benynge and the goodlieste : 375 

In hire was eueri vertu at his reste 

So fer forth, that Nature hire self hadde blysse 

To loke on hire, and ofte hire bek to kysse. 



358. [euere vnkynde'] most onkynde. ^64. [throstel] thurstil. 

363. [with] wit. 367. [assembled] assemblede. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 69 

LV. 

Nature the viker of the Ahuyghty Lord, 

That hot, cold, heuy, lyght, and moyst, and dreye, 380 

Hath knyt with euene noumberis of acord, 

In esy voys gan for to speke and seye, 

" Foulis, tak hed of my centence, I preye ; 

And for yowrt ese in fortheryng of yonre nede, 

As f aste as I may speke I vvil 70W spede. 385 



LVI. 

" Y& knowe wel how, seynt Valentines day, 

By my statute and thurh my governaunce, 

Yq come for to chese and lie yonre wey 

With makis as I prike jow with plesaunce : 

But natheless my ryghtful ordenaunce 390 

May I nat breke, for al this world to wynne, 

That he that most is worthi shal begynne. 



LVII. 

" The terslet egle, as that y^ knowe ful wel 

The foul ryal, aboue yow in degre, 

The wyse and worthi, secre, trewe as stel, 395 

Whiche I haue formyd, as j^e may wel se, 

In euery part as it best likyth me, — 

It nedith not his shap 70W to deuyse, — 

He shal ferst chese and spekyn in his gyse. 

379. [the viker of] vicarye o. 387. [t/iur/i] thorw. 

380. and hsiore tnoyst, not in any MS. 3SS. [chese] cheese. 
384. [ yo7ire heiore ese] jfore. 389. [zviih] j/oure. 

3S5. [spede] speede. 394. [aboue yow in] abouyu euery. 

386. \,Valentifies]Y o\3.niyny%. 399. [chese] sc\\qsq. 



70 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. \ 

LVIIT. I 

! 
1 

" And aftyr hym by ordre shul ye chese, 400 

Af tyr ^oure kynde, eueriche as yow lykyth, ! 

And as _>'oure hap is shul y^ wynne or lese \ \ 

But which of 70W that loue most entrikyth ' 

God synde hym hire that sorest for hym sykyth : " — | 

And therwithal the tersel gan she calle 405 j 

And seyde, " My sone, the choys is to the falle. j 

LIX. 

" But, natheles, in this condicioun I 

Mot be the choys of euerich that is here, \ 

That she ao^re to his eleccioun, \ 

. 1 

What so he be, that shulde ben hire fere ; 410 : 

This is oure vsage alwey _yer by yere^ 

And who so may at this tyme haue his grace, \ 

In blisful tyme he cam into this place." ] 



LX. 

With hed enclyned and with humble chere 

This ryal tersel spak and tariede noht: — 415 

" Vnto my souereyn lady and not my fere 

I chese and ches, with wil and herte and thought, 

The formel on ^oure bond, so wel iwrou^//t, 

Whos I am al, and euere wil hire serue. 



Do what hire list, 


to do 


me lyue or sterve. 


420 




400. [ordre] ordere. 




41 1. from heioreyer In the MS. 




i 


400. [ye] they. 




411. [dy] to. 






401. [yow] ye. 




412. [w/to] ho. 






404. [soresi] soryest 




414. [c/iere] cheere. 






406. [ihe]yovt. 




417. [ches] shes. 




< 


408. [/lere] heere. 




420. [h'si] lest. 






410. [ien] be. 




420. Uyu£] leue. 






410. [fere] feere. 











THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 71 

LXI. 

^^ 

" Besekynge hire of merci and of grace, 

As she that is my lady souereyne, 

Or let me deye present in this place ; 

For, certis, longe I may nat lyue in payne, 

For in myn herte is korvyn euery veyne ; 4.25 

And hauynge only reward to my trouthe, 

My deere herte, haue of my wo sum routhe. 

LXII. 

" And if that I to hyre be founde vntrewe, 

Disobeysaunt, or wilful necligent, 

Auauntour, or in proces loue anewe, 430 

I preye to_yow this be my jugement. 

That with these foulis I be al to-rent, 

That ilke day that euere she me fynde 

To hire vntrewe, or in my gilt vnkynde. 



LXIII. 

"And syn that hire louyth non so wel as I, 435 

Albe that she me neuere of loue behette, 

Thanne ouhte she be myn thurh hire mercy, 

For othir bond can I non on hire knette ; 

Ne neuere for no wo ne shal I lette 

To seruyn hire, how fer so that she wende, 440 

Say what yo^ liste, my tale is at an ende.' 



>» 



429. \_Disoheysaun{\ DIshobeysaunt. 437. {thtirh^ thour. 

432. U be\ be t. 43 S. \knette\ areete. 

434. {vntre-wel vntrere. 441. \lisie\ leste. 

436. In MS. this line reads, Alhe It that 
he me iteuere 0/ loue beheette. 



7» 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 

LXIV. 

Ryght as the fresshe rede rose newe 

A^en the somyr sunne coloured is, 

Ryght so for shame al wexen gan the hewe 

Of this formel whan that she herde al this ; 445 

She neythir answerde wel ne seyde amys, 

So sore abashat was she, tyl that Nature 

Seyde, " Doughter, drede the nat, I the assure. 



» 



LXV. ; 



Anothir tersel egle spak anon 

Of lower kynde and seyde, " That shal nat be ; 450 

I loue hire bet than je don, be seynt John, 

Or at the leste I loue as wel as jpe, 

And longere have seruyd hire in my degre ; 

And if she shulde haue louid for long louynge. 

To me alone hadde ben the gerdonynge. 455 

LXVI. 

" I dar ek seyn, if she me fynde fals, 

Vnkynde, jangelere, or rebel any wise, 

Or gelous, do me hangyn by the hals ; 

And but I bere me in hire seruyse. 

As wel as that my wit can me suffyse, 460 

From poynt to poynt hyre honour for to saue, 

Tak ye my lif and al the good I haue." 



442. \fresshe\ frosche. 454. [kaue"] a. 

444. Uki] hire. 455. [a/one} fullongCw 

445. i/iai not in the MS. 455. [ien] be. 

448. [Dtnt^/iier] dooughteT. 457. ffr helore jan^^ere in ths MS, 
448. For t/ie heiore assurf, MS. has xt'W. 457. [««^] ony. 

450. and not in this MS. 461. [io/ojyni'i In poynt. 

451. lyaAn} Ion. 462. [v^] tlie. 



/ 1 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 73 

LXVII. 

The thridde tercel egle answerde tho, 

" Now, sirys, yo. seen the lytil leyser here ; 

For euery foul cryeth out to ben ago 465 

Forth with his mak or with his lady dere : 

And ek Nature hireself ne wil not here, 

For taryinge here, not half that I wolde seye, 

And but I speke I mot for sorwe deye. 

LXVIII. 

"Of long seruyse auante I me nothing; 470 

But as possible is me to deye to day 

For wo, as he that hath ben languysshyng 

This twenty jj^eer, and as wel happyn may, 

A man may seruyn bet and more to pay 

In half a_yer, althow it were no more, 475 

Than sum man doth that hath seruyd ful yore, 

LXIX. 

" I sey not this by me, for I ne can 

Do no seruyse that may my lady plese \ 

But I dar seyn I am hire treweste man 

As to my dom, and fayneste wolde hire ese : 480 

At shorte wordis, til that deth me sese, 

I wil ben heris, whether I wake or wynke, 

And trewe in al that herte may bethynke." 

463. [thridde] thredde. 472. [languysshyng] languyssyiige* 

464. [sirys] serys. 475. [althow] althav. 
464. [here] heere. 475. [more] moore. 

466. [dere] Ae.&T&. 476. [yore]yooTe. 

467. [here] heere. 478. [?io] non. 

470. This line reads in MS., That'possi- 482. [whether] were. 
ble is to vie to deye to day. 



74 THE FAR LAMENT OF FOULES. 1 

i 

LXX. I 

Of al my lyf, syn that day I was born, j 

So gentil pie in loue or othir thyng 485 1 

Ne herde neuere no man me beforn, i 

Whoso that hadde leyser and cunnyng j 

For to reherse hyre cher and hire spekyng : : 

And from tlie morwe gan this speche laste, 1 

Tyl dounvvard drow the sunne wondir faste. 490 



] 



LXXI. 

The noyse of foiiHs for to ben delyuered 

So loude ronge, " Haue don and lat vs wende,'* 

That wel wende I the wode hadde al to-slyuered ; 

" Cum of," they cride, " alias, je wil vs shende ! 

Whan shal jj^oure cursed pletynge haue an ende ? 495 

How shulde ^ juge eythir partie leue 

For j/e or nay withoutyn othir preue ? " 



LXXII. 

The goos, the cokkow, and the doke also, 

So cryede, "kek kek," "kokkow," "quekquek," on hye, 

That thurh myne erys the noyse wente tho. 500 

The goos seyde, "Al this nys not worth a flye ! 

But I can shappe herof a remedie. 

And I wil seyn my verdit fayre and swythe 

For watyr foul, who so be wroth or blythe." 



407. [ Whoso\ Ho. 495. \haue\ hauyn. 

494. \,cride\ criedyn. 499. on wanting in the MS. 

494. \xhe7ide\ shynde. 500. IthurJi] thourw. 
4 3S' \.yoitre\y\xx^. 503. [j^.j'w] seye. 

495. {cursed'i cursede. 504. \jwho\ ho. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 75 

LXXIII. 

" And I for werm foul," seyde the lewd kokkovv, 505 

" And I wil of myn owene autorite, 

For comun spede tak on me the charg now ; 

For to deliuere vs is gret charite." 

"Ke may abide a while jdt, parde," 

Quod the turtil, " if it be joure wille 510 

A wight may speke, hym were as fayr ben stylle. 

LXXIV. 

" I am a sed foul, on the onworthieste, 

That wot I wel, and litil of cunnynge ; 

But bet is that a wyhtis tunge reste. 

Than entirmetyn hym of swich doinge, 515 

Of which he neythir rede can ne synge ; 

And who so doth, ful foule hymself acloyith, 

For offys vncommyttyd ofte anoyeth." 

LXXV. 

Nature, which that alwey hadde an ere 

To murmur of the lewednesse blynde, 520 

With facound voys seyde, " Hold jj^oure tungis there, 

And I shal sone, I hope, a conseyl fynde 

ybw to delyuere and from this noyse vnbynde : 

I charge of euery flok that ye on calle 

To seyn the verdit for yow foulys alle." 525 

505. \seyde\ quod. 515. \swicli\ suhe. 

505. {leivd'X fol. 516. \synge\ fynde. 

507. This line in MS. reads, For comun 51S. \vncom7nyttyd'\ onquit. 

profit tak on no charg howe. 520. \lewednesse\ lewedenesse. 

509. \,abide\ onbide. 520. blynde wanting in the MS. 

509. \^parde\ perde. 524. This line in MS. reads, / juge on 
511. [w/^/z^] whit. euery folk men shul on calU' 



76 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 

LXXVI. 

Assentid were to this conclusioun 



The briddis alle, and foulis of rauyne i 
Han chosyn fyrst, by playn eleccioun, 

The terselet of the faucon to diffyne ' 

Al here centence, as hem leste to termyne ; 530 : 

And to Nature hym gunne to presente ; , j 

And she acceptyth hym with glad entente. \ 



LXXVII. 

The terslet seyde thanne in this manere : — 

" Ful hard were it to proue by resoun 

Who louyth best this gentil formele here, 535 

For euerych hath swich replicacioun 

That non by skillis may been brought adoun : 

I can not se that argumentis avayle ; 

Thanne semyth it there muste be batayle." 



LXXVIII. 

*' Al redy," quod these egHs tercels tho. 540 

" Nay, siris," quod he, " if that I durste it seye, 

3^ don me wrong, my tale is not ido ; 

For, siris, ne takith not agref, I preye, 

It may not gon, as yt. wolde, in this weye : 

Oure is the voys that han the charg on honde, 545 

And to the jugis dom y^ motyn stonde. 



526. \were\ was. 533. tJianne not in this MS. 

527. [^azrvw^] lauyne. 535. \here'\\\Q^x^. 

529. [yizMC<7«J facoun. 540. {these e glister cels'\\^%Y.^xs,X^x^^X., 

532. [afc^//y///] acceptyh. 54i» 543- [«>«] seris. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 77 

LXXIX. 

** And, therfore, pes ! I seye. As to my wit, 

Me wolde thynke how that the worthiest 

Of knighthod, and lengest hath vsed it, 

Most of estat, of blod the gentilleste, 550 

Were sittyngest for hire if that hire leste : 

And of these thre she wot hireself, I trowe, 

Whiche that he be, for it is light to knowe." 



LXXX. 

The watyr fouHs han here hedis leid 

Togedere, and of a short auysement, 555 

Wlian euerryche hadde his large gole seyd, 

They seydyn sothly al be on assent. 

How that the goos with hire facounde gent, 

That so desyrith to pronounce oure nede, 

Shal telle oure tale, and preyede God hyre spede. 560 



LXXXI. 

And for these watyi* foulis tho began 

The goos to speke, and in hire kakelynge 

She seyde, " Pes, now tak kep euery man, 

And herkenyth which a resoun I shal brynge ! 

My wit is sharp, I loue no taryinge ; 565 

I seye I rede hym, thow he were my brothir, 

But she wil loue hym, let hym take anothir. 



551. \hire before leste\ he. 561. [And] As. 

553. [ii] here. 562. [/tire] his. 

558. sa h&iortgefti in the MS. 563. iShii He. 
560. [hyre] hym. 



78 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 



LXXXIL \ 



" Lo, here a perfit resoun of a goos ! " 

Quod tho the sperhauk ; " Neuere mot she the ! 

Lo ! sich it is to haue a tunge loos ! 570 

Now, parde, fol, yet were it bet for the 

Han holde thy pes than shewyd thy nysete : 

It lyth nat in his wit ne in his wille, 

But soth is seyd, a fol can not be stille." 

LXXXIIL 



The laughter ros of gentil foulis alle, 575 \ 

And right anon the sed foul chosyn hadde i 

The turtil trewe, and gunne hire to hem calle, 1 

And preyede hire to seyn the sothe sadde ; 

Of this matere, and axsede what she radde. • 

And she answerde that pleynly hire entente 580 \ 

She wolde shewe and sothly what she mente. \ 



LXXXIV. 

" Nay, God forbede a louere shulde chaunge ! " 

The turtil seyde and wex for shame al red ; 

*' Thow that his lady euere more be straunge, 

Fit lat hym serue hire til that he be ded. 585 

For sothe I preyse nat the gosis red ; 

For thow sche deyede I wolde non othir make ; 

I wil ben hire til that the deth me take." 

569. tho not in the MS. 576. \_fouT\ ful. 

569. \she\ he. 576. \Jtadde\ hade. 

571. \parde\ perde. 577. \tiirtil\ tersel. 

571. ^yef^ now. 578. for before to in the MS. 

572. [shewyd^ shewe. 579. \rndde\ rardde. 

573. \_wit'\ mygh. 581. it before shewe in the MS. 

574. \be\ ben. 583. \turtil\ tersel. 

575. {laughter ros\ laughtere arcs. 583. al not in the MS. 
576 [rtgki] righ. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 79 

LXXXV. 

"Wei bordit," quod the doke, "by myn hat I 

That men shul louyn alwey causeles ! 590 

Who can a resoun fynde or wit in that ? 

Daunsith he murj^e that is myrtheles ? 

Who shulde rekke of that ys recheles ? 

Kek, kek," j^'it seith the doke ful wel and fayre, 

" There been mo sterns, God wot, than a payre." 595 



LXXXVI. 

" Now, fye, cherl," quod the gentil terselet, 

" Out of the donghil cam that word ful x\gh\. : 

Thow canst nat seen what thyng is wel beset ; 

Thow farst by loue as oulys don by lyght ; 

The day hem blent, but wel they sen be nyght ; 600 

Thy kynde is of so lowe a wrechednesse. 

That what loue is, thow canst nat seen ne gesse." 



LXXXVII. 

Tho gan the kokkow putte hym forth in pres, 

For foul that etith werm, and seyde blyue : 

" So I," quod he, " may haue my make in pes, 605 

I reche nat how longe that y^ stryue ; 

Lat eche of hem ben soleyn al here lyue ; 

This is my red, syn they may nat acorde ; 

This shorte lessoun nedith nat recorde." 



593. This line reads in MS., What 600. [wy^;^/] nygh. 

shitlde I rekke of hym that is 601. [wrechedtiesse'] wrechednese. 

rechelei. 602. igessel gese. 

i>96. [Jye^sey. 604. [blyue\\Ayt\\&. 



8d THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 

LXXXVIII. 

"Ke, have the glotoun fild inow his paunche, 6io 

Thanne are we wel ! " seyde the merlioun, 

" Thow mortherere of the heysoge on the braunche 

That broughte the forth ! thow reufulles glotoun ! 

Lyue thow soleyn, wermis corupciouri ! 

For no fors is of lak of thy nature ; 615 

Go, lewed be thow, whil that the world may dure." 

LXXXIX. 

" Now pes," quod Nature, " I comaunde here, 

For I haue herd al joure opynyoun. 

And in effect jit be we neuere the nere ; 

But fynally, this is my conclusioun, 620 

That she hireself shal han the eleccioun 

Of whom hire lest, who so be wroth or blythe ; 

Hym that she cheest, he shal hire han as swithe. 



xc. 

" For s}Ti it may not here discussid be 

Who louyth hire best, as seyth the terselet, 625 

Thanne wil I don hire this fauour, that she 

Shal han ryght hym on whom hire herte is set : 

And he hire that his herte hath on hire knyt : 

Thus juge I, Nature, for I may not lye 

To non estat, I haue non othir eye. 630 



611. [Ml? wfr/i^««] thanne a Merlioun. 623. [c^^j^ chesith. 

614. \_Lytie\ Leue. 623. \.as\ a. 

614. \wer7nis\ warm. 625. {terselefl terslet. 

619. \neutre\ not. 627. ryght not in this MS. 

622. \wh/> so be wroth or blythe'] & 627. ["whom] honu 
who be wroth & blythe. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES. 8 1 

XCI. 

" But as for conseyl for to chese a make, 

If I were Resoun, certis thanne wolde I 

Conseyle 70W the ryal tersel take, 

As seyde the terselet ful skylfuUy, 

As for the gentilleste and most worthi, 635 

Which I haue wrought so wel to my plesaunce, 

That it to j^ow oughte ben a suffisaunce." 



XCII. 

With dredful vois the formel tho answerde : 

" My rightful lady, goddesse of Nature, 

Soth is that I am euere vndyr j^oure ji^erde, 640 

Like as is eueriche other creature, 

And mot ben j^oure whil that my lyf may dure ; 

And therfore grauntyth me my ferste bone. 

And myn entent I wil yow seyn right sone." 



XCIII. 



u 



I graunte it jj^ow," quod she, and right anon 645 
This formel egle spak in this degre : 
" Almyghty queen, vnto this j-er be gon, 
I axe respit for to avise me, 
And aftyr that to haue my choys al fre : 
This al and sum that I wil speke and seye ; 650 

JKe gete no more, althow _ye do me deye. 



637. This line in MS. reads, That to yow 644. [/ rtuil yow seyn right sone\ thai 
oughte to been a stiffisaunce. wele I seyn wol sone. 

640. [w]ist. 645. \right\X\i3X, 

641. This line in MS. reads, As is 

a nothir lyuis creature. 



82 THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 

XCIV. 

" I wil nat serue Venus ne Cupide, 

Forsothe asjv'it, be no manere weye." 

*' Now syn it may non othirwise betyde," 

Quod tho Nature, " here is no more to seye : 655 

Thanne wolde I that these foulis were aweye, 

Eche with his make, for taryinge lengere here ; '* 

And seyde hem thus, as y^ shul af tyr here. 



xcv. 

"To^ow speke I, jve tersletis," quod Nature, 

" Beth of good herte and seruyth alle thre : — 66a 

A jj/er nis nat so longe to endure : — 

And eche of jow peyne hym in his degre 

For to do wel, for, God wot, quyt is she 

From jKOw this jv'er, what aftyr so befalle ; 

This entyrmes is dressid for_yow alle." 665 



XCVI. 

And whan this werk al brought was to an ende, 

To euery foule Nature ^af his make, 

By euene acord, and on here weye they wende : 

But, lord ! the blisse and joye that they make ! 

For ech gan othir in his wyngis take, 670 

And with here nekkis eche gan othyr wynde, 

Thankynge alwey the noble queen of kynde. 



655. [A^r^] heera 662. [/^jw^ A/»/] peignynge. 

657. t^^r^] heere. 663. [^(y^jwhat. 

658. \hem'\ hyin. 664. \fron{\ for. 
661. t«w] ne is. 667. \/oule\ foul. 



THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES, 83 

XCVII. 

But fyrst were chosyn foulis for to synge, 

As ^er be y^r was alwey here vsance 

To synge a roundele at here departynge," 675 

To don to Nature honour and plesaunce; 

The note, I trow, imakid was in Fraunce \ 

The wordis were swiche as yo^ may fynde 

The nexte vers, as I now haue in mynde. 

ROUNDEL. 

I. 

Now welcom somen with thy sunne softe, 680 

That hast this wintres wethres overshake, 
And driven away the longe nightes blake ! 

II. 

Saynt Valentine, that art ful hye on lofte, 
Thus syngen smale foules for thy sake ; 

III. 

Wei han they cause for to gladen ofte ; 6S5 

Sith eche of hem recovered hath his make, 
Ful blisf ul may they singe when they awake. 

XCVIII. 

And with the shoutyng, whan the song was do, 

The foulis madyn at here flyght awey, 

I wok, and othir bookys tok me to 693 

To rede vpon ; and ^it I rede alwey 

In hope iwis to rede so sum day, 

That I shal mete sumthyng for to fare 

The bet, and thus to rede I nil nat spare. 

674. \}iere\ the. 689. TJiat before tht in MS. 

677. \was\ were. 690. \fithir\ othere. 

678. \,swiche\ sweche. 691. \xede\ reede. 



NOTES. 



\ 



NOTES, 



[The notes with the name of " Bell " attached are taken from Robert Bell's editu a 
of Chaucer's Poetical Works, published at London ia 1862.] 

I. This first line is simply a variation of the phrase, "Life is short, art is long," 
which has come down to us from Greek and Roman writers. 

13, 14. The phrase, " But God save swich a lord," is the object of "seyn." Ihe 
modern construction would omit the negative "nat;" and the passage would read, 
" I can but saj', God save such a lord." 

31. The Drem of Scipion. For an account and translation of this, see Introduc- 
tion, p. 1 1 ff. 

As Macrobius preserved it, or, at least, as it is now printed, this episode has 
nine chapters, instead of seven ; but the first two are introductory, and were, possibly, 
not considered by Chaucer as bearing upon the subject of the present and the future 
life. 

62. That welle is. Most of the MSS. have, for ivelle and is, 'welles and ben. In 
such a case, the antecedent of that is speris, instead of ijielodye. Either reading 
makes good sense. 

63. The Platonic year, in which every star or constellation returns to its former 
position as respects the equinoxes, embraces about twenty-six thousand years. 

73. Ivunortal. All of the MSS., except A and E, read vtortal; but the Latin 
shows ivimorial to be correct. Chaucer had read his author, if the copyists of the 
MSS. had not. 

All allusions from the fifth to the twelfth verses inclusive can be understood by 
consulting the translation of "The Dream of Scipio" in the Introduction. 

85. The three lines which begin with line 85 were pointed out in Notes and 
Queries^ ist Series, Vol. vii., No. 1S7, by a correspondent, J. M. B. of Tunbridge 
Wells, as being taken from Dante : — 

"Lo giorno se n'andava, e I'aer bruno 
Toglieva gli animai che sono in terra 
Dalle fatiche loro." — Inferno, ii. i. 

Translated by Longfellow as follows: — 

"Day was departing, and the imbrowned air 
Released the animals that are on earth 
From their fatigues." 

^1 



88 NO TES. 

The translation under line 169 was also pointed out at the same time by the sama 
correspondent. 

III. JMacrobye. See Introduction, p. 10. 

113. Cyiherea. A common name among the ancient poets for Venus, from ths 
Island of Cythera in the Mediterranean, which received the goddess when she rose 
from tl'.i sea. 

For tae confusion of the Island of Cythera viith the Mount of Cithaeron, see 
Introduction, p. 17. In the Prayer of Palaemon, in "The Knight's Tale," Venus 
is addressed as 

"Thou gladere of the Mount of Citheroun." 

Beside the instances from Chaucer and Boccaccio in the present text, see iUuslra^ 
tion of the same usage in the following references : — 

Roman de la Rose, 1. 16597, Michel ii. 160; 1. 15862, Meon iii. 78. 

Gottfried von Strassburg, Tristran, 1. 4S06 (Bechstein i. 16S). 

Kausler, Denkmaler altniederlandischer Sprache und Litteratur, B. 3, xvii. £. 

127 ff. See Introduction, p. 21 ff. 
169. From Dante : — 

" E poiche la sua mano alia mia pose 
Con lieto volto, ond' io mi confortai." — Inferno, iii. 19. 

Translated by Longfellow : — 

" And after he had laid his hand on mine 
With joyful mien, whence I was comforted," &c. 

See note to line 85. 

173. Treis clad with leuys that ay shal laste. This description of trees in J he 
twenty-sixth stanza was directly imitated by Spenser in the first canto of ihe /arst 
book of "The Faery Queen." For the sake of comparison, Spenser's lines are sub- 
joined : — 

" Much can they praise the trees so straight and hy, 

The sayling pine, the cedar proud and tall, 
The vine-propp elme, the poplar never dry. 
The builder oake, sole king of forrests all, 
The aspine good for staves, the cypresse f unerall. 

The laurell, meed of mightie conquerours 
And poets sage, the firre that weepeth still, 
The willow, wome of forlome paramours, 
The eugh obedient to the benders will, 
The birch for shaftes, the sallow for the mill, 
The min^he sweete bleeding in the bitter wound, «. 

The warlike beech, the ash for nothing ill, 
The fruitful olive, and the platane round. 
The carver holme, the maple seeldom inward sound." 

Tlie meaning of the epithets applied by Chaucer to the trees will occur to many 
readers at once ; but, as it is one of many illustrations of the manner in which he 



NOTES. 89 



mingled his own observations with the knowledge gained from bo( ks, the following 
details are given of each : — 

176. Tlie byldere ok. The oak is spoken of specially as the "builder," from its 
almost exclusive use in the construction of buildings that it was sought to have 
durable. In the building of houses, it has now generally given way in Great Britain 
to pine and fir ; but this did not take place till several centuries after Chaucer's death. 

176. The hardy assh. The ash seems to have been called "hardy" on account of 
the toughness of the wood, which has caused it to be chosen for instruments or for 
parts of machinery that are obliged to undergo the strain of sudden shocks. It was 
this quality that caused it to be used for the shaft of the spear both in ancient and 
modern times. The Anglo-Saxon word dsc not only meant the ash, but also the 
spear that was made of it. 

177. Tlie pilere elm, the cofere vnto carayne. The elm was called the "pillar," 
from its common use, at least in Italy in ancient times, in sustaining the vine. The 
allusions to this fact in the Latin poets are very frequent. It is the " coffer unto 
carrion," because coffins were made of it. Evelyn refers to this use of it in his 
"Sylva;" and " in many parts of England," says Loudon,^ "and particularly about 
London, it is employed for coffins." 

17S. The box-tree piper e. The box was so called from the fact that musical instru- 
ments were made from it. Among the Latin poets, huxus, the box-tree, was a syn- 
onyme for pipe or flute. Chaucer also refers to this fact in his Nonne Priest's 
Tale : — 

"Of bras they broughten hemes (i.e., trumpets) and of box." (Line 577.) 

X78. Hohn to whifipis lasch. The holm of this line is not the holm-oak, but the 
holly. Of these the young sprouts were and are made into whip-handles. 

179. The saylyiige fyr. The fir received its name of "sailing " from the fact that 
spars, oars, and the masts of vessels, at least of the smaller vessels, were and are 
made from it. 

179. The cipr esse deth to pleyne. From the fact of the cypress being constantly 
planted in cemeteries in the south of Europe, it has been from an early period asso- 
ciated with grief for the dead. 

180. The slietere ew. The yew is the " shooter," because it was the tree, above all 
others, from whose wood bows were made. So valuable was it in this point of view, 
that statutes were passed forbidding its exportation, and compelling trading-vessels 
to take a certain quantity of it for importation. 

180. The aspe/or sha/tys pleyne. The asp is the aspen, or trembling-leaved poplar 
{Populus tremula). Gerard in his " Herbal" (1597)? speaking of the names it bears 
among different peoples, says that it is "in English Aspe and Aspen-tree, and may 
also be called Tremble, after the French name, considering it is the matter whereof 
womens toongs were made, as the Poets and some others report, which seldomc cease 
wagging." Ascham, in his "Toxophllus" (1543), mentions fifteen kinds of woods 
which were used for shafts ; and among these is the aspen. He does not, however, 
express as high an opinion of it for this purpose as he does of some of the others. 
Still it is evident, that, in his time, the asp was the wood generally preferred by bow- 
men in the military service. "Yet," he says, "as concerning sharp arrows for war 
(as I suppose), it were better to make them of good ash, and not of asp, as they be 

* Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum, vol. iii. p. 1380. London, 1844. 



9© NOTES. 

novv-d-da\'s." The epithet "plain" applied to the shaft seems to be spol* ;n ol 
those used in war which were not pieced or ornamented, as frequently were those 
which were used in practice. " Some use," says Ascham, "to piece their shafts in 
the nock with brazil or holly to counterweigh with the head; and I have seen somci 
for the same purpose, bore a hole a little beneath the nock, and put lead in it." 

iSi, 1S2. The allusions to the olive as tlie emblem of peace, and to the palm as the 
emblem of victory, are too well and widely known to need any thing more than 
reference. The laurel, or baj'-tree, was sacred to Apollo, the god of divination. 

"The reader," says Bell, "will observe the life and spirit which the personifica- 
tion of the several trees gives to this catalogue. It is common in French, even 
in prose ; as, for instance, the weeping-willow is le saule pleureur., the weeper 
willow." 

183. From this line to line 294, the best commentary is the passage of Boccaccio, 
Rossetti's translation of which will be found in the Introduction, p. 17 ff. 

2t4. His doughtyr. The daughter of Cupid, unknown to classic mythology, is 
Voluptas, or Pleasure, as is seen from the corresponding passage in Boccaccio. 

228. Other tJire. In Boccaccio the "other three" are Audacity, Glozing, and Pimps ; 
and they are, perhaps, the ones referred to by Chaucer. The objection to this, how- 
ever, is, that the three have seemingly already been spoken of by the poet under the 
names of " Fool-hardynesse" and "Flaterye" and " Messagerye." 

237. Dovis. In ancient mythology, the birds sacred to Venus were the dove, the 
sparrow, the swan, the swallow, and the wrj'-neck. 

240. Davie Pes sat with a airtyn in hire hond. " Peace sits before the temple-gate, 
because the quiet and leisure of a state of peace are favorable to the pursuits of gal- 
lantry. She holds a curtain in her hand, perhaps because refinement of manners, the 
offspring of peace, draws a veil or curtain over what is gross and offensive " (Dell). 

242. Pacience. See Introduction, p. 21. 

253. Priapus. Priapus was the Roman god of fruitfulness. The story here referred 
to can be found in the first book of the " Fasti" of Ovid, line 415 ff. Chaucer must 
have been familiar with the adventure as told by the Roman poet, as well as the 
reference to it contained in Boccaccio. 

261. Venus. The MS. upon which this text is founded reads, for Venus, Febj. 
What is meant by the word it is hard to determine. Mr. Furnivall suggests Phoebus. 
It is only in this manuscript that this reading, which seenas to be a blunder of the 
scribe, is found. 

261. Venus and her porter Richesse. In the description of the Temple of Venus 
in "The Knightes Tale," which should be compared with this, Idleness acts as the 
porter ; in this, Riches. Idleness is the porter of the garden in " The Romaunt of 
the Rose," line 593 (line 584, Michel). Riches kept the way to the castle within the 
garden, in which Free Welcoming was shut up (line 10S05, Michel). 

277. Cypride. The name of Cj'pride (Latin Cypris, Cypridis) was given to Venus 
by the later Latin poets, because the Island of Cyprus was represented as one of hei 
favorite dwellings, and was widely celebrated for the worship paid to lier. The 
description of her as lying down between Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and fruit, 
and Bacchus, or Liber, the god of wine, is an allusion to the well-known Latin pro- 
verbial expression, " Sine Cerere et Libero friget Venus ; " that is, " Without food and 
wine, love grows cold." 

286. The list of persotj mentioned in this and the following stanza as victims to 



NOTES, 91 

love embraces many more names than that found in the corresponding passage of Boc- 
caccio. The Roman poet Ovid was the authority for most of them. The rep/esenta- 
tives of those whose broken bows hanging on the wall denoted that they had left the 
service of Diana, the goddess of chastity and the chase, for that of Venus, are Callisto 
and Atalanta. The story of Callisto, the daughter of Lykaon of Arcadia, and her 
conversion into the constellation of the Great Bear, is told by Ovid in the second 
book of the " Fasti," lines 153-192 ; that of Atalanta, and the transformation of herself 
and her husband into lions, is told by Venus to Adonis in the tenth book of Ovid's 
" Metamorphoses," lines 560-707. About Semiramis, the wife of Ninus, and legendary 
Queen of Assyria, th(;re grew up, along with the stories of her conquests, stories of her 
licentiousness, which are frequently referred to by the Latin writers. Candace seems 
to be Canace, the daughter of ^olus, whose guilty love for her brother Macareus 
gave rise to the eleventh epistle of Ovid's " Heroides." This epistle has been translated 
into English by Dryden. It appears from the corresponding passage in Boccaccio, 
that Hercules is introduced on account of his love for lole, which was in the end the 
cause of his death, through the jealousy of his wife, Deianira. The story of Biblis, 
and her love for her brother Caunus, and subsequent transformation, is told in the 
ninth book of the " Metamorphoses." The story of Dido, the Queen of Carthage, is 
not only found in Virgil, but her letter to ^neas forms the seventh epistle of the 
" Heroides." The account of Pyramus and Thisbe is given in the fourth book of the 
** Metamorphoses," lines 55-166, but is better known to English readers from Shake- 
speare's play of the " Midsummer-Night's Dream." The love of Tristram for Isoude, 
the wife of his uncle Mark, King of Cornwall, and the adventures and misfortunes 
to which it gave rise, form one of the most famous legends connected with King 
Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Paris, Achilles, and Helen belong 
to the Homeric epic of the Trojan war; Troilus, to the middle-age version of the 
same story. Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, is the only historical character found 
in the entire list. It is uncertain who was meant by Silla. There were two persons 
of the name of Scylla, both of whom are celebrated by Ovid, and either of whom 
may have been intended. Or it may, perhaps, be the same as Silvia (or Rhea 
Silvia), "the modyr of Romulus," in the same manner as, in "The House of 
Fame," the son of iEneas and Creusa is spoken of as both lulus and Ascanius in 

the Hues, 

"And liir yonge sone lulo, 

And eke Askanius also." 

The additional number of persons introduced show Chaucer's wide reading for his 
time, if nothing more, and especially his close study of Ovid. Dido, Cleopatra, and 
Pyramuf; and Thisbe, appear more fully treated in" The Legende of Goode Women ; " 
and the story of Troilus and Cressida forms a large independent work, which was 
made by Shakespeare the groundwork of his play of the same name. 

309. Seynt Valentines day. St. Valentine was a priest who was put to death at 
Rome in the year 269 A.D. He was first beaten with clubs, and then beheaded. 
His bod} lies buried in the Church of St. Praxed in Rome, his head in that of St. 
Sebastian. But the remains of several saints of the same name can be found scat- 
tered throughout Europe. The method by which the peculiar observances of St. 
Valentine's Day came to be connected with it is unknown: but there was a wide- 
spread popular belief, that, on that day, the birds came together to choose their mates; 
and on this belief Chaucer's poem is founded. 



92 NOTES. 

316. Aleyn in the Pleynt 0/ Kinde. See Introduction, pp. 25, 26. 

323. lu the enumeration of the birds present, Chaucer divides them into the four 
classes, of birds of rapine, birds that feed on seeds, birds that feed on wo mis, and 
water-fowl. They are all described either in accordance with popular and poetical 
beliefs in regard to their characters and habits, or more usually with an exactness of 
epithet that could only have been attained by him who had carefully studied their 
characteristics. This description of the birds, with that of the trees in verse xxvi., 
is of itself sufficient to refute the absurd remark of Sandras (see Introduction, p. 24), 
that Chaucer's knowledge of nature was gained through books. 

In the description of the birds mentioned by Chaucer, the accounts of the habits 
are mainly taken from Selby in his " Illustrations of British Ornithology." A number 
of extracts have been taken from Mudie's " Feathered Tribes of the British Islands." 
All the birds mentioned, it may be added, are found In their wild state in the Brit- 
ish islands, except the " popinjay," which must, however, have been as familiar then 
as now. 

330. TJie ryal egle. Of the three species of eagle found in the British islands, 
the one spoken of here is the golden eagle {Aquila chrysaetos), but by Biiffon, 
Cuvier, and other French naturalists, called, as Chaucer here calls it, V aigle royal. 
It possesses in a superior degree the characteristics of elevation of flight, and keen- 
ness of vision, which distinguish the whole family ; and on account of the height to 
which it rises, and its range and power of sight, it is here said to pierce the sun with 
its sharp look. 

335. The goshauk. The goshawk {A sttir palumbarius) and the sparrow-hawk were 
especially destructive to the smaller birds. The goshawk preys naturally upon differ- 
ent kinds of feathered game, and hares and rabbits ; and by falconers it was trained 
specially to the pursuit of grouse, pheasants, wild-geese, herons, &c. 

337. The gent ylfaucon. This is the favorite bird of falconry {Falco peregrinus), 
the peregrine falcon, smaller in size, to be sure, than the jer-falcoii {Falco isLxudi- 
cus), but more graceful, and probably somewhat more rapid in flight. " The pere- 
grine," says Mudie, *'as possessing the greatest courage, power, and tractability 
jointly, IS the falcon par excellence of the falconers. The f.ilcon always means the 
female; and the male is called the tercel. . . . When fully plumed and trained (and 
she has not her full superiority over the male till in her mature plumage), the female 
is i\\& gentil, ox gentil falcon, — so called, partly from her docility, and partly because 
she never turns ' down the wind,' or stoops to ignoble game, as some of the other 
hawks, and even the tercel peregrine, are apt to do." The falcon was carried on 
the hand or wrist ; and in the fourteenth century, in which this sport was held in 
the highest estimation, persons of distinction often appeared In public with them. 

33S. Th; hardy sperhauk. The sparrow-hawk {Accipiter nisiis) was so called be- 
cause it preyed upon sparrows; but it was far from confining itself to these birds, 
and in fact is here spoken of as attacking principally the quail. It is one of the most 
daring, not to say audacious, birds of prey ; and in pursuit It will venture in the imme- 
diate neighborhood of men and houses, and there seize the object of attack. In fal- 
conry it was highly esteemed, and was trained to pursue partridges, quails, and some 
other birds. 

340. The merlyon. The merlin {J^alco cBsalon) is a species of small and elegant 
hawk, and in the lays of falconry was often carried by ladies. Chaucer, perhaps, 
confounded this bird with the hobby {Falco subbuteo), another small hawk, the favorite 
game of which is the lark. 



NOTES. 93 

341. The dove. This is the ring-dove {CoIumBa ^alumbus), which also goes under 
the name of "cushat," or "wood-pigeon." Its note, which is of a low and plaintive 
character, is much superior to that of the domestic pigeon. 

342. The jelons swan. This is the tame or mute swan {^Cygnus olor), common in 
many countries in a half-domesticated state. The belief that they sing just before 
they die was common in antiquity, and has been referred to by numerous poets, both 
ancient and modern. The epithet oijeloiis is probably applied to the swan on account 
of the fierceness of the male swan during the breeding season. It guards the nest 
with the most jealous care, and attacks any animal that approaches. 

343. The oule. Of the numerous family of owls, the one most common in Great 
Britain is the barn or white owl {Strix flaimnea), which goes under a number of 
names, such as Gillihowlit, Howlet, Jifadge Owl, Church Owl, Hissing Owl, and 
Screech Owl. This is a widely-scattered species, though it is not necessary to sui> 
pose it the particular one here referred to. From the earliest period, owls have been 
objects of superstitious dislike, partly from their being associated with twilight and 
night, but principally from their horrible screaming as they fly. Hence arose a com- 
mon belief of a fanciful species called the "screech-owl," which had the unpleasant 
habit of hanging about the windows of dying men, or those destined to die. The 
belief is a very ancient one ; and the most uncomplimentary, not to say dismal, 
epithets were showered upon it in profusion by the classic writers. Among these are 
ignavus, the "sluggish;" pro/anus, the " unholy ;" y?<«^r^7«, the "ill-boding;" 
raucus, the "hoarse;" sinister, the "unlucky;" trepiduSy the "easily-alarmed;" 
vtoestus, the "ill-omened;" /z<c^//<?r, the "grief-bringing." This belief lingered to 
a late period, and perhaps still exists. By Sir Thomas Browne it is spoken of as 
being held in his time to a considerable extent, especially by " the credulous and 
feminine party." "That owls and ravens," says he,^ " are ominous appearers and pre- 
signifying unlucky events, as Christians yet conceit, was also an augurial conception. 
Because many ravens were seen when Alexander entered Babylon, they were thought 
to pre-ominate his death ; and, because an owl appeared before the battle, it presaged 
the ruin of Crassus: which, though decrepit superstitions, and such as had their 
nativity in times beyond all history, are fresh in the observation of many heads, and 
by the credulous and feminine party still in some majesty among us." 

344. The crafie. The common crane {Grics cinerea) is called the "giant" on 
account of its great height. When standing erect, it reaches to a man's breast. It 
has a loud, harsh, but sonorous and trumpet-like note, which can be heard at a great 
distance. 

345. The chough. The manuscripts vary here between "crow" and "chough;" 
but, as the former is mentioned later, the latter seems the preferable word. The only 
one of this race known to the Island of Great Britain is the Cornish chough {Fregilus 
gracuhis). It belongs to the Corvidoe, or crow family, and, like most of the members 
of that family, is very crafty and mischievous, and, in particular, is noted for its 
pilfering disposition. 

345. The jangelynge pye. This is a common British bird, the magpie {Pica 
melanoleucd), popularly called also "Pianet" and "Madge." "These birds," says 
Selby, "are usually observed in pairs, and continue together through the whole year, 
A.t times, however, they appear to hold social meetings, during which they are very 

* Vulgar Errors, book v. chap. 23. 



94 NOTES. 

clamorous, and maintain a continued chattering." Numerous popular superstitioni 
are connected with this bird. 

346. The skorny7ige jay. 'Y\\q.\7\.^ {Garruhcs gla7idarms')\i-a>.%^& epithet given it 
of " skornynge," perhaps on account of its own harsh and disagreeable voice, but 
probably on account of its power of imitation, especially of the less musical sounds. 
It can reproduce with great exactness the bleating of sheep, the mewing of cats, the 
hooting of owls, the neighing of horses, and many other of the harsher animal 
cries. 

346. Heroun. The common heron (/I r^at cinerea)viz.s In Chaucer's time very 
abundant in England, and is still far from being a rare bird, though the recla- 
mation of marshes and stagnant waters has narrowed greatly its field of opera- 
tions. "The heron is a successful fisher, but a fisher in shallow waters only, — to 
human anglers a very pattern of patience and resignation. Up to its knees in the; 
water, motionless as a statue, with the neck slightly stretched out, and the eye 
steadily flexed, but wide awake to the motion of any thing that has life, the heron may 
be seen in the ford of a river, the margin of a lake or seaside pool, or on the bank of 
an estuary. Suddenly its head is darted forward with unerring aim : a small fish is 
captured, and instantly swallowed head foremost. An eel of large size requires 
different treatment, and is brought to land, that it may be beaten to death on the 
shingle." 

347. The false lapwynge. The crested or green lapwing ( Vanellus cristatus), 
called also the "pewit" from its incessant crj', is particularly remarkable for the 
devices it practises in order to draw away either men or dogs from the neighborhood 
of its nest. There are numerous references in English poetry to the habit of the 
female bird of running from its eggs or brood upon being disturbed, and of skimming 
along the ground without uttering any cry. " Their stratagems, " says Mudie, " in 
enticing any animal that they dread away from their nests or young, are often amusing. 
They will strike with the bend of the wing so near to one's head, that the stroke may 
be distinctly heard ; and they actually hit crows and other prowling birds, and even 
dogs. I was once crossing a lonely moor, half heath, half quagmire, upon which 
lapwings were more than usually abundant : they were also more than usually clamor- 
ous ; for a countryman was crossing it a little before me, accompanied by one of 
the yelping curs of which country people are in some places too fond. The cur 
seemed very resolute in lapwing-hunting, and the birds as willing to give him sport. 
They limped before him ; they flew low in twitches, and came close upon him by all 
sorts of motions, both on foot and on the wing ; and the dog was fatiguing itself by 
alternately making hopeless leaps at the flyers, and hopeless starts after the runners. 
At last one came twitching down, and, whether with the bend of the wing or the bill 
I cannot say, hit him an audible bang on the ear, which sent him yelping, with his 
tail between his legs, to his master ; and he hunted lapwings no more while in my 
sight." 

348. Tlie starling. The starling, or stare {Stnrtms vulgaris), has great imitative 
powers, and can be easily taught to repeat words it hears often. In this way it may 
be said to betray counsel. It is a captive starling, with its constant exclamation, " I 
want to get out," that Sterne introduces in his "Sentimental Journey," as over- 
throwing by this single cry all his systematic reasoning upon the smallness of the 
ftvil of being confined in the Bastille. 

349. The tame rvddok. The ruddock (Anglo-Saxon rudduc, from mdf " red ") haa 



NOTES. 95 

been frorr the earliest times a common name of the redbreast (^ErytJu 4.us nihecula). 
It is still retained in the provincial dialects of England. It is one of the tamest of 
birds, and, in winter, leaves its dwelling in the woods to seek food and shelter near 
the homes of men. "The general familiarity and confiding manners of this species," 
saj^ Selby, "have procured for it an appellation of endearment in most of the coun- 
tries that it inhabits. Thus in Sweden it is called Tomi Liden; in Norway, Peter 
Ronsmad ; Thomas Gierdet in Germany ; and with us, Robin Redbreast." 

349. TIte coward kyte. The kite {Milvus reg^alis) is the most cowardly of the 
birds of prey, never attacking any living creature that is as large or as strong as 
itself. 

350. The kok. "Ihe reader will observe the picturesque image which this Una 
calls up before the mind s eye. It brings before us the little remote village, or th^tpe, 
which lies imbosomed in the English landscape, and the hinds (called up in the ear'.y 
morning by the crowing of the cock, their only horologe, or clock) betaking them to 
their daily labor" (Bell). 

351. The sparwe Venus softe. The sparrow, of which family the house-sparrow 
{Passer domestiais) is most common in England, w-as one of the birds sacred to 
Venus in the ancient mythology. From this circumstance, and the fact that it is very 
prolific, it is frequently introduced by the poets of Chaucer's time, and by Chaucer 
himself, as an emblem of wantonness. 

351. The nyhtytigale. The nightingale {Lusciftia vera) is a bird of passage 
that reaches England about the end of April or the beginning of May. The male 
arrives about ten days or a fortni^^ht before the female. After the coming of the 
latter, they are in full song ; which is accordingly contemporaneous with the leaving of 
the trees. 

353. Tlie swalwe. For the various extraordinary readings of the manuscripts, 
see Introduction, p. 37. That in so many of them the swallow is represented as mur- 
dering other birds, which same birds are in the habit of making honey, is a fact, which 
of itself is enough to put an end to any unsuspecting trust in any manuscript what- 
ever. Against the reading of the text, it is to be observed that the swallow {Hiritndo 
rustled) is not noted for attacking bees ; but it does so occasionally. " Sometimes the 
swallow," says Wood in his " Natural History of Birds," "flies at larger prey, and, 
frequenting the neighborhood of bee-hives, swoops with unerring aim upon their 
inmates as they enter or leave their straw-built houses. It is a very remarkable fact, 
that the working-bee is generally unharmed by the swallow, which directs its attacks 
upon the comparatively useless drone." 

355. TJie wedded turtil. The turtle, or turtle-dove {Turtur atiritus), has always 
been with the poets the emblem of constancy and fidelity. Like all the pigeons proper, 
they are strictly monogamous, and exhibit great attachment to each other. Thera 
sprang up, in consequence, a very general belief, that, when one of a couple died, the 
survivor would take no new mate, but remain the rest of his or her life in a condition 
of single-blessedness. See verse Ixxxiv. 

356. The pokok. The reference here is to the fact, that, in early paintings, the 
feathers of the wings of the angels are represented as being the same as those of th^ 
peacock {Pavo cristatus). 

357. TJie fesaufit. I am unable to explain the allusion to the pheasant {Phasiama 
colchicus). " Perhaps," says Mr. Bell, "an allusion to the fact that pheasants often 
resort to the farm-yards, and breed with the domestic poultry." But this is not ac 
?xplanation that explains. 



96 



NOTES. 



358. TJie wakyr goos. All llie species of this genus, including the common wild- 
goose {A nser yeriis), and the gray lag wild goose {Anser cinereus) from which the 
domestic variety is supposed to oe derived, are remarkable for their excessive shyness 
and vigilance. When feeding on the ground in the daj^time, or resting on the water 
at night, they have sentinels stationed to give notice of the slightest danger. 

358. The cokkow euere vnkj/nde. The word " unkind " may have here its ordinary 
meaning, or it may mean "unnatural." In either case, it refers to the consequences 
that follow the practice, en the part of this bird, of depositing its eggs, which are 
small, in the nests of other birds, leaving them to be hatched and reared by their 
foster-parents. The young cuckoo, as soon as it is hatched, proceeds to eject the 
young birds hatched at the same time, and frequently succeeds so far as to remain the 
sole occupant of the nest. The bird deposits its eggs in the nests of several smaller 
species, and very often in that of the hedge-sparrow. There seems to have been a 
belief that the young cuckoo, when it grew up, completed its evil career by mur- 
dering the bird that had brought it up. To this Shakespeare refers in the following 
lines : — 

" The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, 
That it had its head bit off by its young." — Lear, act i. so. 4. 

And Chaucer, in a subsequent part of this poem, refers to the same belief when he 
makes the merlin address the cuckoo in these words : — 

"Thow mortherere of the heysoge on the braunche 
That broughte the forth." 

359. The popinjay /ul of delicasye. The popinjay doubtless means here the par- 
rot ; but it is also in England a common provincial term for the green woodpecker 
{Gecintis viridis). As applied to either, I am not sure as to the meaning of " delica- 
sye." 

360. TJie drake. This is the mallard, or common wild-duck (/J nas boschas). " The 
farmers' wives find the drake, or mallard, the greatest enemy of their young ducks, 
whole broods of which he will destroy, unless removed" (Bell). 

361. The stork. This bird {jCiconia alba), though rare in England, is common i:i 
the towns and villages of the Continent, where its services in ridding the country c.f 
vermin, and acting indeed the part of a general scavenger, cause it to be protected 
and favored. In consequence, a mass of popular superstition has accumulated about 
it. There was a belief, widely held, that it would abandon its nest in the chimney oi 
any house in which either the husband or wife was guilty of adultery. To this Skel- 
ton refers in the following lines of " Phyllyp Sparowe : " — 

*' The storke also, 
That maketh his nest 
In chimneyes to rest ; 
Within those walles 
No broken galles 
May there abyde 
Of cokoldry side, 
Or els phylosophy 
Maketh a great lye." 



NOTES. 97 

Mr. Bell quotes the following story, as illustrative of this line, from Bishop Stanley's 
" History of Birds: " "A French surgeon at Smyrna, wishing to procure a stork, and 
finding great difficulty, on account of the extreme veneration in which they are held 
by the Turks, stole all the eggs out of a nest, and replaced them with those of a hen. 
In process of time the young chickens came forth, much to the astonishment of Mr. 
and Mrs. Stork. In a short time Mr. Stork went off, and was not seen for two or 
three days, when he returned with an immense crowd of his companions, who all 
assembled in the place, and formed a circle, tal:ing no notice of the numerous specta- 
tors which so unusual an occurrence had collected. Mrs. Stork was brought forward 
into the midst of the circle ; and, after some consultation, the whole flock fell upon 
her, and tore her to pieces ; after which they immediately dispersed, and the nest was 
entirely abandoned." This story is good enough to be true, and, at any rate, is of 
value as illustrating popular belief. 

362. T/ie hote conncraiint. The common cormorant {Phalocrocorax carbo) has 
become asynonyme for a gluttonous person in our language, though the early accounts 
of its habits were greatly exaggerated. Like all birds which feed on fishes, it has 
exceedingly rapid powers of digestion, and, in the course of one day, will swallow at 
least its own weight of food. 

363. TJie rajieti mys, the crcnv. The raven {Corvtts corax), like all the members 
of the crow family, is remarkable for its sagacity and intelligence; and the hoarse 
and discordant note of all the crows proper, whether raven, rook, or carrion-crow, justi- 
fies the appropriateness of speaking of them as being endowed with a " voice of care." 

364. The ihrostt'l oldc. There seems to have been a popular belief that the thros- 
tle, or song-thrush ( Tiirdtcs merida)^ attained to a great age. 

364. Tiie frosty fcldef are. The fieldfare {Ttirdus pilaris) receives the epithet of 
"frosty" on account of the time of its visit to England. It spends its summers still 
farther north, and reaches the British islands in the latter part of November, and 
remains till late in the following sprin;.^. Provincial terms applied to this bird are 
feltyfare and fendyfarc, which resemble in pronunciation the word as found in this 
line. 

376. In hire ^vas eucrivertii at his rest. The phrase " at his rest," which I have 
never m?t with elsewhere, seem.s to mean "at its highest point." There is, perhaps, 
an allusion to that state of tranquillity and calmness which any virtue may be sup- 
posed' to be in after it has attained perfection, as contrasted with the uneasiness and 
excitement which attend the striving for it. 

560. God hyre spede. In Webster's Dictionary, under speed, the assertion is made, 
that it is probably a mistake to speak of the phrase God speed as being equivalent to 
may God give yoii sticcess,h\iL\. that the true phrase is probably ^(?(?i^ speed; that 
is, I wish ^ow. good speed. The present line pretty conclusively shows that the ordi- 
nary explanation is the correct one. 

613. Tho^jj reiifidles glotoun. /?^z(/i///^j is the reading of this MS., while all the 
others have rett/ul ; which latter will not make good sense, unless we idke reit/id to 
mean "pitiful" in the sense of "contemptible," "deservin;^^ pity for litt'eness or 
mt;anne3s ;" and for this there 15, so far as I know, no authority. Even then, if the 
sense were good, the measure would be defective. Against reiifidles it is to be said, 
that the termination less, in Engli h, is added to nouns, and not to adjectives. I sus- 
pect that ndhelcs v/as the poet's v.ord. 

678, 679. The roundel is found in only a few of the MSS., and even in them there is 



98 



NOTES. 



considerable variation in its wording. In this particular MS. it is inserted " in a later 
fifteenth-century hand:" there are " no gaps between the stanzas." Its orthography 
varies materially from that of the rest of the poem ; but the variations in the text, 
which are numerous, have not been noted. In MSS. B and C, as well as in Speght's 
edition, the ninety-seventh stanza is followed by a single line of a French poem, Qtci 
hien aiine tard oublie ; and upon the charge of plagiarism brought against Chaucer 
in consequence, see Introduction, pp. 24, 25. 

The following additional instances of the use of this expression by writers belong- 
ing to three different nationalities have been furnished me : — 

** Qui bien aime une f ois jam6s n' obliera.'* 

Test, dey.de Meung, Mion, p. 23. 

" Car qui bien aime, ses amours tard oblie." 

Gowevy Ballade xxv. 

** Car je voy bien, qui aime i tart oublie." 

Etistache Deschatftps, 

** Quien bien ama, tard olvida." 

RotTiATtce del Conde A larcos {Duran, Romanceroy i. 225). 



GLOSSARY. 



The following are the chief contractions used : — 



adj. . 




adjective. 


pres. . 


. . present 


adv. . 




adverb- 


pret. . 


. . preterite. 


art. 




article. 


pron. . 


. . pronoun. 


A.-S. 




Anglo-Saxon. 


prov. . 


. . provincial. 


comp. 




comparative. 


Prov. . 


. . Provengal. 


con j . . 




conjunction. 


V. . . 


. . verb. 


dem. . 




demonstrative. 


V. pret.-pres. preterite-present vtih, 


Lat. 




Latin. 




a verb whose origi- 


L- Lat. 




Low Latin. 




nal present his dis- 


n. . 




noun 




appeared, and whose 


nom. , 




nominative. 




original preterite is 


(). E. 




OM English. 




used as a present. 


0. F. 




Old French. 


vs. . . 


. . verb of the strong con- 


0. N. . 




Old Norse. 




jugation. 


p. p. 




passive participle. 


vw. . 


. . verb of the weak con- 


part. 




participle. 




jugation. 


prep. 




preposition. 







A. 

Acloye(n), vw. To lame, to harm, 
517. (O. F. encloer, from en, in, and 
do., Lat. ciavtis, nail. The original 
sense is to lame a horse by driving in 
a nail in shoeing.) 

Acord, n. Agreement, accord, 668. 
(O. F. acorde, from Lat. cor, cord-is, 
heart : ac, probably from Lat. ad.) 

A-damaunt, «. Loadstone, magnet, 
14S. (O. F. adamant, from Lat. ado- 
tnas, ada7nant-is.) 



Aftir, prep. According to, in pursii- 

ance of, 305. 

Aftir AS. According as, 216. (A.-S. 
after.) 
Agen, Agens, prep, (i.) Against, 

facing, 443. (2.) In preparation for, 

342. (A.-S. agen, ongedn!) 
Ago,/./. Gone, 465. (p.p. of A.-S. 

agan, to go away, go off.) 

Agon, adv. Ago, iS. (From preced- 
ing-) 
Agref, adv. In fjief, amiss, 543. 

99 



t OF C. 



lOO 



GLOSSARY, 



(O. F. grief, grievous, heavy, from 
Lat. gravis ; O. F. agrever, to de- 
press, to weigh down.) 
Al, in 

Al and sum. One and all, every 
thing and each thing, 650. (A.-S. 
sum, one, some one, and eal, all.) 
Aldirnext. Next of all, 244. {Aldir, 
O. E. genitive plural of al, and next. 
Compare " Mine alderliefest sover- 
eign." 2 Henry VI. i. 1.) 

Albe, adv. Although, 8, 436. (Full 
form is albeit, in which the subjunc- 
tive be is introduced by the adverb al, 
and followed by a sentence with or 
without that.) 

Alwey, adv. Always, 3, 232, 236, 321, 
519, 672, 674, 6)1. (A.-S. ealne weg.) 

Anon ryght. Immediately, 21S. 
(A.-S. OH, in, and d7t, one ; i e., in one 
moment, and strengthened by ryght.) 

Aray, «. Clothing, dress, atiirc, 96, 
219. (O. F. arrai, arrangement, 
dress.) 

Armony, Armonye, n. Har- 
mony, 63, 191. (Lat. hannonia. For 
omission of h, see letter H.) 

Art, n. Artfulness, artifice, 245. (O, 
F. art, address, artifice.) 

Arwe, n. Arrow, nom. pi. arwis ; 212. 
(A.-S. areivc.) 

As, co7tj. Used expletively in line 26. 
To purpos as of this viatere ; lines 
49, 139, 185, t/tere as; 1. 633, as 
sivithe ; 1. 653, as yit. 

Asaye(n), vw. To trj', to essay, 257. 
(O. F. asaier.) 

Assay, «. Trial, attempt, enterprise, 
2. (O. F. asai, from Lat. exagitiin, a 
weighing.) 

.A ston(y)e(n), vw. To astonish, 5, 
142. (O. F. estoner, from Lat. atto- 
nare, to thunder at ; perhaps also 
affected by A.-S. stitnian, to stun.) 

Atyr, n. Ornament, rich dress, 225. 
(From O. F. atirer, to array, adoni.) 

Attempre, adj. Soft, mild, 204. 
(Originally passive participle from 



O. E. attempren with final d omitted. 
O. F. atte7}tprer ; Lat. attemperare, 
from ad and temperare, to soften, 
moderate.) 

Auenture, n. Adventure, venture, 
enterprise, 131. (O. F. aventtire, haz- 
ard, chance, event, a term of chivalry 
for designating the combats and ex- 
traordinary perils which happen to any 
one. From Lat. adventurtcs, p. p. of 
advenire, to nnive, and in late Latin, 
to happen, to befall.) 

Auante(n), viv. To vaunt, to boast, 
470. (O. F. vanter, from L. Lat. vnni' 
tare, to boast, from Lat. vanus. 1 he 
Old English word seems to have been 
confounded, as regards form, with O. F. 
avnnt. ) 

Auatintour, «. Boaster, 430. (From 
preceding.) 

Auise(n), vw. To advise, 648. (O. 
F. aviser.) 

Auysemcnt, n. Consideration, de- 
liberation, 555. (O. F. avisemeitt.) 

Autcr, 71. Altar, 249. (O. F. autier ; 
A.-S. alter, from Lat. altar e.) 

Avouterye, it. Adulter^', 361. (O. 

F. avoittcre, adultery, from avoidre, 

adulterer, from Lat. adulter.) 
Axcf'n), vw. To ask, 64S; pret., 

axede, 50. (A.-S. ascian, dxian, to 

ask.) 

B. 

Be, prep. See hi and Ity. 

Bcfcrn, Eyforn, adv. Before, 45, 

107. (A.-S. b.foraji) 
Behete(n), Z'w. To promise; pret., 

behette, 436. (A.-S. vs. be-hatan; 

pret., be-het.) 
Bereve(n), vw. To bereave, pret., 

berafte, 87. {A.-'5. beredfian-ode.) 
Besekefn), vw. To beseech; pres. 

part., besekynge, 421. {A.S. bisecati.) 
Besette(n), vw. To employ, ap- 
point, 7i\:>-p\Y\ p.p., beset, 59S. (A.-S. 

be sett ail ^ 

Besy, Besyly, Besynesse. Seo 
Busy, &€. 



GLOSSARY. 



loi 



£et, adv. Better, 152, 514, 571. (A.- 
S. bet.) 

liethyr.ke(n), vw. To think, to 
imagine, to conceive, 483. (A.-S. be- 
Ipencau.) 

Betyde(il), znv. To happen, to re- 
sult, 654. (A.-S. /e and tldan, to hap- 
pen, from ^;V, time, tide.) 

Bewreye'n), vw. To reveal perfidi- 
ously, to betray, 34S. (A -S. be and 
wregaH, ■wregea7i, to accuse.) 

JBi, By, Be, prep. Concerning, 4, 
iS^'^T »5:). 477- (A.-S. be, bi.) 

Byheste, n. Promise, 245. (A.-S. 
■i-shtzs, vow, promise.) 

Elende(n), c'w. To blind; zd per. 
si7i§^. pres., blent, 600. (See Intro- 
duction, p. 41.) (A.-S. blettdan.) 

Blyue, adv. Quickly, speedily, 604. 

Blosmy, adj. Full of blossoms, 183. 
(A.-S. bljsata, blossom, with suf&.x y. 
MS. \\:v% b/ospemy.) 

Bode, «. Message, announcement, 
343. (A.-S. (^^^^j command. ) 

Bolde(n), v%v. To become bold, 144. 
(A.-S. bildan, embolden, from bald, 
bold, bold.) 

Bone, n. Prayer, 643. (O. N. bon; 
A.-S. ben; modern English, boon.') 

Borde(n), vw. To jest; /. p. bordit, 
5S9. (O. F. border, bourder, to joke, to 
jest) 

Bote,«. Boot, remedy, 276. (A.-S. ^5/.) 

Bour, n. Chamber, apartment, 304. 
(A.-S. bur:) 

Brenne(n), vw. To burn, 249. (A.- 
S. bremtany) 

Bringe(n), vw. in 

Bringen adoun. To overcome, 537. 

Bringen forth. To hatch, 192, 613. 

In O. E. this frequently has the 

^ sense of " bring up ; " and such may 

be its meaning in line 613. (A.-S. 

briiigan:) 

Brid, Bryd, n. (i.) Young of birds, 
brood, 192. (2.) Bird, 310, 336, 527. 
(A.-S. brid, the young of any animal, 
especially of fowls.) 



Busy, Besy, adj. Zealous, anxious, 
active, 8g, 369. (.4 -S. bysig, bisig.) 
Besyly, adv. Eagerly, 257. 
Besvnesse, n. Occupation, toil, 86. 

But, conj. Unless, 159, 459, 469, 567. 
Always followed here by the subjunc- 
tive. (A.-S. biitan, buto/i.) 

c. 

Carayne, «. Dead body, corpse, 177. 

(O. F. cnroigne ; L. Lat. car on: a, from 

Lat. caro, carnis, flesh ; modern Eng 

lish, carrion.) 
Cast, 71. Contrivance, 305. (O. N. 

kasi.) 
Centence, «. See Sentence. 
Certis, n. Certainly, 424, 632. (O. 

F. certcs.) 
Cher, Chere, n. (i.) Countenance, 

414. (2.) Expression of countenance 

as denoting the state of mind, 4S8. 

(O. F. chere, from L. Lat. car a, face.) 
Cliese(n), vs. To choose, 146, 310, 

37o> 3S8, 399, 400, 631. \si per. pres. 

si7ig., chesc, 417 ; id per., cheest, 623. 

(See Introduction, p. 41.) Pret. ches. 

417. (A.-S. ceosaii ; ceds, cur 071 ; 

core7i. ) 
Clepe(n), vw. To call, 352. (A.-S. 

clipia7t, clepaii.) 
Clere, adj. Pure, noble, transparent, 

77. (O. F. cler, from Lat. clams.) 
Clerk, 7t. A learned man, a scholar, 

333. {A.-S. cleric, cler c, \inQsi; O. F. 

clerc, educated, from Lat. clcricus, 

priest, scholar.) 
Cofere, «. Chest, cofSn, 177. (O. F, 

cofre. ) 
Colde(n), vw. To become cold, 145 

(A.-S. cealdia7t.) 
Corupcioun, «. Destruction, 614. 

(O. F. corr7iptio7t ; \^2X. corrupt io.) 
Couche(n), vw. To arrange, to set 

in order, 216. (O. F. co7ccher ; L. Lat. 

culcare, from Lat. collocare, to put 

together.) 
Couercheif, n. Strictly a covering 

for the head, a head-dress ; but, in lina 



£02 



GLOSSARY. 



272, it seems to mean a thin veil thrown 
around the body, the name having pre- 
viously been transferred from the head- 
dress itse'.f to the substance out of 
■which it was made. (O. F. cozivre- 
chef, from couvrir, Lat. cooperire, to 
cover, and chef, Lat. caput, head.) 

Cunnyng, Cunnynge, n. Skill, 
knowledge, craft, 167, 513 (in good 
sense). (A.-S. verbal noun ciuining, 
experience, trial.) 

Cure, n. Care, pains, endeavor, 369. 
(O. F. cure, from Lat. aura.) 

D. 

Dede, adj. Stagnant, 1S7. (A.-S. 
dead.) 

Degre, n. Manner, 646, 662. (O. F. 
degre.) 

Delicasye, «• Delightfulness? ele- 
gance? fastidiousness? 359. 

Delyuere(n), vtv. To set at liberty, 
to dismiss, 491, 50S, 523. (O. F. de- 
livrer ; L. Lat. deliberare, from de 
and liberare, to set free.) 

Deine(n), Demyn, znu. To judge, 

166. (A.-S. dcman.) 

Departynge, «. Parting, separation, 
675. (From O. F. departir.) 

Desport, n. Sport, play, diversion, 
260. (O. F. desport.) 

Deuynen, vw. To divine, to proph- 
esy, 1S2. (O. F. deviner.) 

Deuyse(n), vw. (i ) To draw, to 
picture, 317. (2.) To tell, relate, 333. 
(O. F. deviser.) 

Diffynen, vw. To explain, to state 
precisely, 529. (O. F. dcfiner.) 

Discheuele, adj. With disordered 
hair, dishevelled, 235. (O. F. descheve- 
ler ; L. Lat. discapillare, from dis 
and capilhis, the hair of the head. 
This word is strictly a past participle.) 

Disfigurat, adj. Disfigured, de- 
formed, 222. (Prov. des/igtirat, from 
Lat. dis, and jigitraius, p. p. oi fig- 
urare, to fashion.) 



Disobeysaunt, adj. DisobedienI, 
429. (O. F. prefix des, dis, and adj. 
obeissafit. ) 

DistrayneCn), viv. To press vio- 
lently, to bear with force upon, 337. 
(O. F. destraindre, from Lat. distrin- 
gere. ) 

Dom, «. ( I.) Opinion, 4S0. (2.) De- 
cision, 546. (A.-S. dbin.) 

Don, "DOiV.irreg. To cause, to make, 
infill. 221,420; imper. 45S ; pres. 651 ; 
pret., dede, 145 ; p. p. do, 6SS. (A.-S. 
dbii ) 

Drede, n. Doubt, 52, 81. (A.-S. 
drad, dread.) 

Dredful, adj. Full of dread or doubt 
(not inspiring it in others), 3, 195, 638. 

Dresse(n), vw. To make ready, to 
prepare, SS, 665. (O. F. dresser.) 

Drye(n), vs. To suffer, to undergo, 
251. (A.-S. f/'-^^r^^? to suffer.) 

Drow, pret. Drew. 

Dure(n), vw. To last, to endure, 616, 
642. (O. F. durer.) 

E. 

Effect, In. In fact, 619. 

Eyen, «.//. Eyes, 172, 341. (A.-S. 
pi. edgan, from edge, eye ; Scotch 
^V«.) 

Eythir, pron. Each of two, 125. 
(A -S. dgper:) 

Eke, Ek, adv. 
(A.-S. edc) 

Emeroude, n. Emerald, 175. (O. 
F. esmeratdde, emeraude, from Lat. 
sviaragdus.) 

Endite(n), vw. To compose, 119, 
167. {O. ¥. enditer.) 

Engendrure, n. Breeding, hatch- 
ing, 306. (O. F. enge7idre7ire.) 

Entent(e), n. (i.) Opinion, mind, 
purpose, 5S0, 644. (2.) Mind, inclina- 
tion, desire, 532. (O. F. entente.) 

Entirmetyn, vw. To interfere, to 
meddle, to take part in, 515. (O. F. 
entrevtetre, from Lat. inter mittere.) 



Also, 91 and often. 



GLOSSARY, 



103 



Entyrmes, n. A small dish set in 
between the principal dishes, a side- 
dish; in French, etitremets, 665. (O. 
F. eniremes, from entre, between, and 
■mes, dish, mess.) 

£3ntrike(n), vw. To hinder, entan- 
gle, embarrass, 403. {^xaw . entr icar , 
i?itricar, from Lat. i/itricare, to per- 
plex, embarrass, from /« and tricari, 
to make difficulties, from tricce, hin- 
derances, vexations, perplexities. Pals- 
grave has / entrikci " I hynder or 
lette." Modern French intrigtier ; 
modern English intrigue and intri- 
cate.') 

Errour, «. Misapprehension, mis- 
take, 146, 156. (O. F. error, errur.) 

Ese(ll), Tjw. To give ease or content, 
4S0. (O. F. aiser.) 

Euene, adj. Fair, equitable, 668. 
(A.-S. even, rfen ) 

Euerich(e), Euerycli, Euer- 
VYClciQ, pron. Each one, every one, 
369, 401, 40S, 536, 556, 641. (A.-S. 
ii/re, ever, and die, each ; that is, 
" ever-each.") 

P. 

Facound, adj. Fluent, eloquent, 521. 

(Lat. facimdus^ 
Facounde, «. Eloquence, 55S. (O. 

Y./iiconde, from Lat. Jacundia.) 
Falle,/./. Fallen,4o6. {A.~S. /alien, 

p. p. ol feallan.') 
Faste, adv. Soundly, 94. (A.-S. 

fdste. ) 
Faynesteja^z/. Gladliest, 480. (From 

A.-S. 7^^]. fdgen, glad, fain.) 
Fele, rt:^!/. Many, 329. {k.-'&.fela^ 
Fere, «. Mate, equal, 410, 416. (A.- 

S./era, ge/era) 
Fey, n. Faith, 24. (O. F. fei, from 

\.:x\.. fides.') 
Fyght, 3(/ sing. pres. Fights, 103. 

(See Introduction, p. 41.) 
Flete(n), v. To float, 7. (A.-S. vs. 

ficotafi.) 
Flit, zd sing. pres. Flieth, fleeth, 3. 



(See Introduction, p. 41.) This may 
be, however, from the verb to Jleet, or 
to fiit, a word of Scandinavian origin.) 

Fon, n. plural. Foes, 103. (A.-S. 
/an, plural oi/a, foe.) 

Fonde(n), vw. To try, to attempt, 
257. {\.S./a7idian.) 

For, prep, (i.) On account of, because 
of, 146, 46S, 497. (2.) Instead of, 657. 
For me. So far as I am concerned, 
229. (A.-S.y<;r.) 

For, co7iJ. Because, 107. 

For to, with the infinitive, 18, 88, 115, 
iiS, 146, 165, 167, 217, 249, 3iO, 370, 
3S2, 461, 488, 491, 631, 648, 663, 673, 

^93- 

Forrael(e), «. The female of the 
falcon family, 371, 373, 418, 445, S3S> 
638,646. In Ducange's glossary, under 
the title of Fornieliis, is quoted the 
following extract from a letter ( f Mag- 
nus, King of Norway, to Edward I., 
under date of 1280: '''■ Tra7ismittimus 
vobis ad solatitnn . , . duos nobiles 
gcro/alcones albos, Forvielos : et sc^k 
gressos etia7n Fori7ielos ;'''' to whict 
the following explanation is appended: 
^^ Id est For77iatos ct i7istructos. Gal- 
lice Fortncs." As the female falcoi 
was the one specially trained for use 
in liawking, it is possible that this 
word passed over from the sense of 
" trained, instructed," into that of 
"female." 

Fors, n. In expression No /ors, no 
matter, it makes no difference, it is of 
no consequence, 615. (O. F. /ors; 
L. 'L.z.t. /orcia, from 'Lat./ortis.) 

Forseyde, adj. Aforesaid, 120. (A.- 
S./ore, before, and sizd^ p. p. of sec- 
gan, to say.) 

Forth, adv. On, straight ahead, i/. 
(A.-S. /orth:) 

Forwery, adj . Excessively weary, 
93. (A.-S. intensive prefix _/i7r, and 
iverig, weary.) 

Fulfille(n), vw. To fill full of; p.p. 
fulfyld, 89. {A.-S./ul/jyllan.) 



104 



GLOSSARY. 



G. 

Game, n. Sport, play, 226. (A.-S. 
gaiiien.^ 

Gan, Gunne, v. Gan, preterite sin- 
gular, and gttnne{fi) preterite plural, 
of gintte?t or gin. It is used with the 
infinitive to form a compound preterite 
in the same manner as did is now em- 
ployed. Gan regularly denotes the 
singular ; gzaine, the plural. 

Gan, with the pure infinitive, is 
found in lines 40, 42, 85, 144, 194, 247, 
280, 405, 444, 489, 603, 670, 671 ; with 
infinitive wiih to, in lines 27, 142, 266 ; 
with infinitive withy^r to, in 88, 382. 
It is used once as a plural in line 312. 

Gunne forms a preterite plural with 
the pure infinitive, in lines 193, 257, 
283, 577 ; with infinitive with to, in 
line 531. (A.-S. ginftan.) 

Gay, adj. Showily dressed, 234. (O. 
F. gai.) 

Gelous, adj. Jealous, 45S. (O. F. 
j'alous.^ 

Gent, adj. Polished, refined, 558. (O. 

F. gC7lt.) 

Gentil, Gentyl, adj. Noble, well- 
bom, elegant. In the language of fal- 
conry, it means strictly all birds that 
can be trained to the chase, 337, 485, 

535, 575, 596. 

Gentilleste, superlative, 373, 550, 
635. (C). Y. gentil.) 

Gentilesse, «. Nobility, high birth, 
224. (O. F. gentillece.) 

Gesse(n), vw. To think, to conjec- 
ture, 160, 200, 223. (O. Dutch, gissen; 
O. N. giska.) 

Gyse, n. Manner, fashion, 399. (O. 
F. guise. ) 

Gole, n. Throat: hence what pro- 
ceeds from the throat, voice, utterance, 
saying, 556. (O. F. gole, goule, throat, 
mouth, from Lat. gjila. Compare 
with this passage Pope, Essay on 
Man, iii. 33 : " Is it for thee the linnet 
pours her throat ? ' ' and Gray, On the 



Spring, " The Attic warbler pouis her 
throat.") 

Good, n. Property, goods, 462. (A.. 
S. god, property.) 

Gotiernaunce, n. Government, di- 
rection, 387. (O. F. governe, and 
termination atatce. ) 

Grace, n. Favor, fortune, 45, 65. 
(O. F. grace.) 

Grete, n. The great part, 35. (A.-S. 
great, great.) 

Greuance, «. Grievance, 205. ^,0. 
¥ . grevance.) 

H. 

H. This letter was used in a very con- 
fused way in the manuscripts, being 
frequently dropped from words to 
which etymologically it belonged, and 
added to those to which it did not be- 
long. In this text H is omitted from 
artnony and orloge, and in the MS. it 
is found in diskobeysaunt, 429. See, 
also, Jiautayn. 

Ilale(n), vw. To draw violently, to 
compel to move, 151. (O. N. Jiala ; 
modern English, haid.) 

Half, n. Half, side, 125. (A.-S. heal/y 
half) 

Hall, n. Room, 304. The larger 
rooms, or reception-rooms, of a dwell- 
ing, as distingnished from the smaller 
apartments or chambers, were called 
halls. (A..S. heal) 

Hals, n. Neck, 45S. (A.-S. hals.) 

Han, vw. To have, 528, 545, 554, 572, 
621, 623, 627. (Contracted from hab- 
hen, have7t, from A.-S. habban.) 

Hap, n. Chance, fortune, 402. (O. 
N. happ.) 

Happe(n), vw. To happen ; pret. 
happede, 18. (From preceding.) 

Hautayn, adj. Lofty, proud, 262. 
(From O. F. halt, haut, from Lat. 
alttts, with h prefixed.) 

He, pron. dent. This one. He or liey 
this one or that, 166. (A.-S. he.) 

Hele, n. Healing, restoration to 
health, 128. (A.-S. heelu.) 



GLOSSARY. 



loS 



"S-GTCl^QXt, pr on. reflex. Themselves, 
223, 234. (The plural form selves was 
unknown in Chaucer's time.) 

Hente(n), vw. To seize, to grasp, 
120, 154. (A.-S kenfajt, hgnie.) 

Ilette(ll), vw. To heat, pret. hette, 
145. (A.-S. hcetan, ■pvQt. /uette ; prov. 
Eng. pret. hei.) 

Heysoge, n. Hedge-sparrow, 612. 
(In Huntley's Glossary of the Cots- 
wold (Gloucestershire) Dialect, hay- 
suck is given as the local word for the 
hedge-sparrow. In ^Elfric's A.-S. 
Glossary, under the names of birds, 
A.-S. hege-sugge is given as the trans- 
lation of L. Lat. cicada, vicetula ; but 
it is uncertain what these latter mean. 
Vicehda may be the white-throat. 
Hey or hay, however, is certainly the 
A.-S. hiig, Jiege, a hedge.) 

Hye, adj. High, loud ; oti hye, in a 
loud voice, 499. (A.-S. hedh.) 

Hyng. Pret. of vs. hange(n), to hang, 
2S2. (A.-S. hangan {hon), /tiug ; 
haugen.) 

Hire, Heris, pron. Hers, 482, 588. 
(A.-S. hire, genitive of heo, she. See 
Introduction, p. 40.) 

His, pro7i. Its, 68, 376. (A.-S. hts, 
genitive of hit, it.) 

Holsum, adj. Wholesome, 206. (A.- 
S. hdi, healthy, hale, whole, and ter- 
mination sujn. The w of whole was 
prefixed in the sixteenth century, by a 
false analogy with such words as who, 
whoop, &c.) 

I. 

I or Y. A prefix found often in old 
English, and representing the A.-S. 
ge. The latter was added to nouns, 
pronouns, adjectives, and verbs. After 
the Norman Conquest, ge was weak- 
ened into i or y, and confined princi- 
pally to verbs, and with verbs, in most 
cases, to the past participle. When 
the p. p. of strong verbs received it, 
they were apt to drop the final n. In 



modem English, the e of enough repre- 
sents the original ge. 

I prefixed to the p. p. of strong verbs. 
Iboiindeii, bound, 26S ; ibroke, broken, 
2 82 ; ido, done, 542 ; inojne, taken, 3S 
(see Nim). 

I prefixed to the p. p. of weak verbs. 
/founded, founded, 23 1 ; imakid, made, 
677 ; ipeyntid, painted, 284 ; iwrotight, 
wrought, made, 123, 305, 418. 

I prefixed to adjectives. luowe, enough, 
233. f^k.-?). genbg); iihcwid, an ad- 
jective with participial termination from 
A.-S. pedw, in plural, pedivas, man- 
ners, customs, endowments, morals; 
modern English, thews. Wei ithewid, 
furnished with good manners or mor- 
als, 47. 

I prefixed to adverbs. Inow, enough, 
610. (A.-S. genog) ; iwis, certainly, 
surely, 6, 692. (A.-S. wise, with^^.) 

like, adj. Same, very, 433. (A.-S. 

«!• 

Jangelere, n. A jeerer, mocker, 
scolder, 457. (O. V.j'angleor.) 

K. 

Kep, n. Heed, 563. (From A.-S. 

cepatt, to keep.) 
Kerve(n), vs. To cut, 217; p.p. 

korvjm, 425. (A.-S. ceorfa7i; cearf, 

cur/on ; cor/en.) 
Kynde, «. Nature, 316, 672. (A.-S. 

cynd. ) 
Kirtel, n. A gown, 235. (A.-S. cyr^ 

tel.) 
Knytte(n), vw. To knit ; p. p. knyt, 

62 8. {A.-?,, cftyttan.) 
Korvyn. See Kerven. 

Ii. 

Xiast, zd sing. pres. Lasteth, 49. 
(A.-S. lisstan. See Introduction, p. 
41.) 

Launde, n. Thinly timbered wood- 
land, a plain sprinkled with trees or 
underbrush, 302. (O. F. lande.) 



io6 



GLOSSARY. 



Lengest, adv. Longest, 549, (A.-S. 

lange, letig, leftgst.) 

Ijere(n), vw. To teach, to learn, 25. 
(A.-S. Icerati.) 

LeseCn), vzv. To lose, 147, 402 ; /. p. 
lost, 160. (A.-S. vs. Iedsa7i.) 

Lesteln), Liste (n), vw. To please, 
to list. Often used impersonally. 2d 
per s. sing, indie, lest, 114; ■^d pers. 
sing., 622 ; 2>d sing. pros, subj., 420, 
441, 530, 551. (A.-S. lystafi. See In- 
troduction, p. 41.) 

liete(ll), vw. (i.) To cease, to for- 
bear, 439. (2.) To hinder, zd per. 
pres. indie, let, 151. (See Introduc- 
tion, p. 41. A.-S. leiiajt, leita-n.) 

LeueCn), viv. To believe, 496. (A,- 
S. gelefan, to believe.) 

Lewid, Lew(e)d, adj. (i.) Unedu- 
cated, ignorant, 46. (2.) Wicked, 505, 
616. (A.-S. IcEZved, belonging to the 
laity. Lewd means at first a layman 
as opposed to a clergyman ; then, as 
the clergy originally monopolized all 
the learning, it came to mean an un- 
educated or ignorant man as opposed 
to an educated one ; as ignorant men 
are apt to be vicious, it passed into 
the third sense of wicked, vile ; and, 
as licentiousness is the most common 
form of wickedness, it settled at last 
into its present meaning. The three 
first meanings are all to be found in 
Chaucer's use of the word.) 

Ijewednesse, n. Ignorance, folly, 
520. (A.-S. lawed, and termination 
ness.^ 

Light, adj. Easy, 553. (A.-S. liht?) 

Ijike(n), vw. To please, 165, 397, 
401. Used generally as an impersonal 
verb. (A.-S. lician.) 

Lykerous, adj. Addicted to evil 
pleasures, lecherous, 79. (From O. F. 
lecheor, a glutton, a libertine.) 

Lyte, Lite, adj. Little, 64, 18S, 350. 
A lyte, a little, 28, iii, 264. (A.-S. 
adj. indecl. and adv. lyt^ 

Loke(ii), vw. To take heed, to ob- 



serve, to look, 74, no. (A.-S 

Ibcian^ 
Lore, n. Information, learning, 15. 

(A.-S. /«r.) 
Lust, n. Pleasure (in good or bad 

sense), 15, 219. (A.-S. lust^ 
Lusty, adj. Pleasant, 130. (From 

preceding.) 

M. 

Make, «. Mate, companion, 310, 371, 
389, 466, 5S7, 60s, 631, 657, 667. (A.-S. 
viae a, gemaca ) 

Maner(e), «. Used without being 
followed by of in "a maner deth," 
54 ; and " be no manere weye," 653. 

Meede, n. Reward, presents, 228. 
(A.-S. med.) 

Messagerye, n. The carrying of 
messages, the going between two per- 
sons, 22S. (O. F. i7i<:ssagerie.) 

]Mete(ri), vw. To dream, 108, 115, 
693 ; zd per. pres. sing., met, 104, 105. 
(See Introduction, p. 41); pret. mette, 
95. (A.-S, mcBtan, vicette ; and vie- 
tian, vietode, both meaning to dream.) 

Methought(e), pret. Methought, 
it seemed to me, 28, 124. (From A.- 
S. dative vte, and puhte, preterite of 
vw. pyjtcan, to seem, used imperson- 
ally. SeeTHYNKEN.) 

Myseluyn, pron. reflex. Myself, 
297. 

Misse(n), Mysse(n), vw. To fail, 
40, 75. (A.-S. tnissian, viissan, to 
err, to mistake.) 

Mo, adj. More, 595. (A.-S. adv. ma, 
comp. of vticele.) 

Morwe, n. Morning, 489. (A.-S. 
viorgen. ) 

Mot, V. pret. pres. (i.) Must, 408, 469, 
642 ; pi. motyn, 546. (2.) May, 569. 
(A.-S. sing, vwt ; pi. 7noton.) 

Murye, adv. Merrily, 592. (A.-S. 
mirge^ 

W. 

Was, pret. Was not, 273. (From ;« 
and was.) 



GLOSSARY. 



icy 



Natlieles, adv. Nevertheless, 162, 

390, 407. (A.-S. na py Ids.) 
Nature, «. Kind, species, 615. (O. 

F. nature, nature, and also species, 

as in this passage.) 
Ne, adv. (i.) Not, 65, 307. (2.) Nor, 

205, 207, 209. (A.-S. 7ie.) 
Nede(n), V7v. To be necessary (used 

impersonary), 609. (A.-S. ncdan^ 

iieddlan. ) 
Nere, adv. Nearer, 619. (A.-S. nery 

mar., comp. of 7tedh, ni^h.) 
Nil, Nyl, V. Will not, 222, 694. 

(A.-S. fiylle, from lie and ivy lie.) 
Nimen, vs. To take; p.p., inome, 

3S. (A.-S. iibnafi; nam, nchttou ; 

manen^ 
Nis, Nys, V. Is not, 54, 501, 661. 

(.V -S. nis, from ne and is) 
Nysete, «. Folly, 572. (O. F. «/- 

cetc, from nice, ignorant, foolish ; from 

Lat. nesclns.) 
TTolde, V. pret. Would not, wished 

not, 90. (A.-S. nolde, from ne and 

•wolde^ 
Non, adj. and adv. No. (A.-S. nan, 

no, none, from ne and an, one ; and 

A.-S. na, no, from ne, and a, ever. 

See Introduction, p. 32.) 

o. 

Of, prep, (i.) By, 70. (2.) With, 1S8. 

(3.) Off, 122. (4.) During, in, 4S4. 

(A.-S. of.) 
Ofcaste(n), viv. To cast off, 132. 

(From of, and O.N. kasta.) 
Off ys, n. Charge, trust, business, 236. 

(O. F. office.) 
Onethe, see Vnnethe. 
Orloge, n. Horologe, clock, 350. 

(O. F. horloge, from Lat. Jtorologittin. 

See H.) 
Other, adv. Or, 46. (A.-S. adoTf 

either of two.) 
Oueral, adv. Everj'where, 172, 284. 

(From A.-S. ofer and eal. Compare 

High German fiber all, everywhere.) 



Oure, pron. Ours, 545. (A.-S. tire. 
See Introduction, p. 40.) 

Outrageous, adj. Excesiive, ba 
yond limit, 336. (O. F. otdra^eus, 
from oidrage, oltrage ; excess, from 
mdrer, ultrer, to exceed, from outre, 
ultre, Lat. ultra, beyond.) 

P. 

Parde, mterj. A common oath, 509, 

571. (O. F. par, by, and de, God, 

from Lat. dens.) 
Passe(n), vw. To surpass, 300. (O. 

Y. passer.) 
Paunche, n. Belly, stomach, 610. 

(O. F. panche, from Lat. patitex.) 
Pay, n. Pleasure, satisfaction, 271, 

474. (O. F. paie, payment, from paier, 

to appease, satisfy, pay, from Lat. pa- 
care, to appease, irom pax, peace.) 
Payne (n), Peyne(n\ vw. To take 

pair.3, 339, 632. This verb is used re- 

flexively. (O. F. peiner, painer, to 

take pains.) 
Pyne, n. Harm, woe, 335. (O. F. 

peijte ; A.-S. pztze.) 
Plc, n. (i.) Pleading, entreaty, 485. 

(2.) Opinion, lawsuit, loi. (O. F. 

plait.) 
Pleyne(n), vw. To lament, bewail, 

179. {O.Y. plai7idre ; Lnt. plau£-ere.) 
Pleynly, adv. Fully, 5S0. (O. F. 

plein, from Lat. plemis, and Eng. suf- 

fix, ly.) 
Pleynt, n. Complaint, 316. (O. F. 

plaint. ) 
Plesaunce, n. Gayety, delight, that 

which affords pleasure, 218, 389, 636, 

676. (O. F. plaisance .) 
Pletynge, «. Pleading, 495. (Ver. 

bal noun from O. E. plete?i, plaiden, 

to plead ; O. F. plaidier.) 
Poliok, n. Peacock, 356. (A.-S. 

pdwa, from Lat. pavo, and A.-S. coc, 

cock.) 
Porte, n. Bearing, demeanor, 262, 

(From O. Y. porter, to Qzxvj, se por* 

ier, to carry one's self.) 



io8 



GLOSSARY, 



Pres, «. Crowd, throng, 603. (O. F. 

^resse.) 
Prest,//. Crowded,307.(O.F./r^.w^r.) 
Preue, «. Proof, 497. (O. F. prove.) 
Prike(n), vw. To spur, to incite, 3S9. 

(A.-S. priccian, to pricl<.) 
Priue, adj. Private, retired, 260. 

(O. F. prive.) 
Proces, n. Course of time, 430. (O. 

F. proces^ 
Pul, n. A contest at wrestling, 164. 

(From A.-S. puliian, to pull.) 

Q. 

Quytj adj. Free, 663. (See the fol- 
lowing.) 

Q,uite(n), Q,uyte(n), vtv. To re- 
pay, requite, q, 112. (O. F. quiter, to 
give quittance to, to set free; from 
quite, free, discharged ; from Lat. qui- 
etus, at rest ; in L. Lat. free.) 

Quod, V. defec. Said, 510, 540, 541, 
569. 5S9, 596, 605, 617, 645. 655. (A.-S. 
cwrtp, pret. of cive^an, to r.ay. Found 
only in the preterite, in Chaucer.) 

B. 

Radde. See Reden. 

E.auyne, n. Prey, rapine, ravenous- 
ness, 323, 336. (O. F. ravine, impet- 
uosity, ardor; Lat. rapina, robbery, 
plunder, prey.) 

Keche(n), Ilekke(n), z/TO. To care, 
593, 606; pret. roughte, m. (A.-S. 
recan, rohte.) 

Reclieles, adj. Indifferent, heedless, 
593. (A.-S. receleds.) 

E.ecorde(ll), vw. To commit to writ- 
ing, to put on record, 609. (O. F. re- 
corder. In this line, recorde can also 
be construed as a noun.) 

Red, n. Counsel, advice, 586, 608. 
(A.-S. r(Bd.) 

Rede(n), vw. To counsel, advise, 
566 ; pret. radde, 579. (A.-S. vs. 
r<sdan^ 



Regard, «. In phrase "at regard of," 

in comparison with, 58. (O. F. au 

regard de.) 
Rekke(n). See Rechen. 
Replicacioun, n. Reply, skill in 

answer, 536. (Prov. replicatio, LaL 

replicatio. ) 
ReufuUes, adj. Pitiless, 613. (A.-S. 

hreoiv, grief, penitence, ful, and les. 

See note on this word.) 
Reve(n), V7u. To bereave, to take 

away, 86. (A.-S. red/ian.) 
Ryal, adj. Royal, 330, 394, 415, 633. 

(O. F. roial, reial, real, from Lat 

regalis, from rex.) 
Rightful, adj. Righteous, 55. (A.-S. 

riht, and suffix ful^ 
Roughte. See Rechen. 
Roundele, n. A short poem, in which 

the first line or lines return in the 

middle and at the end of the piece, 

675. (O. F. rondel^ 
Routhe, n. Ruth, pity, 427. (From 

verb to rtte, A.-S. hreowafi.) 

s. 

Sadde, adj. Serious, 578. (A.-S. 

sad, satisfied, full, weary, sick.) 
Science, n. Knowledge, 25. (O. F. 

scie)ice.) 

Secre, adj. 
secret, 395. 
secreie. ) 

Sek, adj. Ill, sick. (A.-S. seoc.) 

Sentence, Centence, «. Matter, 
sense, meaning, 35, 126. (O. F. seT> 
tence.) 

Septure, «. Sceptre, 256. (Prov. 
sceptre, from Lat. sceptrinn.) 

Servaunt, n. Servant, especially a 
servant of love, 159. Even without 
the addition of " lovis," as here, it was 
a common designation for a professed 
lover or suitor. Compare " For in my 
tynie a servaunt was I on," Chaucer's 
Knight's Tale, line 956. And Shake- 
speare's Two Gentlemen of Verona, 



Secretive, faithful to a 
(O. F. secret, feminine, 



GLOSSARY. 



109 



act il. scene 4: ^//z/zVr. Servant. Val- 

entiiie. Mistress. (O. F. serva7it, 

Lat. pres. part, serviejis.) 
Sese(n), ew. To seize. (O. F. saisir^ 

sez's/r.) 
Sliappe(n), z"w. To devise, produce, 

502. (A.-S. vs. scnpan, sceppan.) 
Sliencle(n), v^u. To spurn, to shame, 

to harm, 494; pret. shente, 255. (A.- 

S. scendan, scefide.) 
Shove(n), vs. To shove; pret. shof, 

154. (A.-S. scufan; seed/, saifoii; 

scqfett) 
Syke(n), vw. To sigh, 404. (A.-S. 

slca^i.) 

Syn, prep, and co7tj. Since, 64, 435, 
484, 60S, 624, 654. (A.-S. sippafi.) 

Sittyng, adj. Becoming, fitting :j«- 
perl. sittyngest, 551. (Pres. part, of 
sitte{ii), A.-S. siiiati, to sit, to fit.) 

Skill, n. Reason, proof, ground of 
argument, 537. (A.-S. sciie, difference, 
discrimination ; O. N. skil, distinction, 
discernment, adjustment, due.) 

Sle(n), z/5. To slay, to kill, 217. (A.- 
S. slaJuui, slatt.) 

Soleyn, adj. Alone, unmated, un- 
married, 607, 614. (Prov. solan, from 
Lat. sohcs, alone. Modern English, 
S7dlen.) 

Sote, adj. Sweet, 274, 296. (A.-S. 
swcte ; O. N. sotr.) 

Soth(e), n. Truth, 78, 574, 57S, 640. 
(A.-S. sdp.) 

Soth-ly, adv. Truly, in sooth, 270, 
557,581. {.\.-?,. so/llce.) 

Soun, n. Sound, 344. (A.-S. son, O. 
F. soti. sjt7i, from Lat. somis. ) 

Spede(n), vw. To prosper, to suc- 
ceed, to speed, to hurry off, 133, 3S5, 
560;/./. sped, loi. (.A.-S. spedaji, 
spt'dde. See note on 1. 56c ) 

Spede, «. Profit, 507. (A.-S. sped.) 

Spere, «. Sphere. (Prov. sphera^ 
esphera, espcra ; I. at. sphera.) 

Spice, 11. Species, kind, especially 
any kind of spice or drug, 206. (O. F. 
espece ; L. Lat. espicice, from Lat. 



species, kind, and meaning, in late 
Latin, drugs, spices, &:c.) 

Sterve(n), vw. To die. 420. (A.-S 
vs. stcor/aii, to die, vvv. stearfiau, tc 
die of hunger or cold. Modern ilng- 
lish, starve.) 

Straunge, adj. Unfavorable, ad- 
verse, 5S4. (O. F. estrange, from Lat, 
extrayieics.) 

Stroyere, «. Destroyer, 360. (From 
O. E. destroien, destrnieji ; O. F. de' 
stniire, from Lat. destriiere., from 
negative prefix de and strtiere, to pile 
up, to build. Stroyere would strictly 
mean, in consequence, a builder-up 
instead of a puller-down ; but both it 
and tJie verb stroien were in constant 
use in Old English in the sense of the 
compound forms.) 

Subtyl, adj. Finely woven, deHcately 
made, thin, 272. (O. F. sittil ; Lat. 
subtilis, from szib, somewhat, slightly, 
and tell, wa.-p, web.) 

Suffisauncfc, n. Contentment, that 
which affords satisfaction, 637. (From 
O. F. siiffire, and suffix amice.) 

Sumdel, n. Somewhat, something, 
112. (A.-S. sum and dcel, deal, part.) 

Sweucne, n. Dream, 115, iiS. (A.- 
S. sivefcn.) 

Swich(e), adj. Such, 14, 255, 2S3, 
318. 515)536. (A.-S. J7y//c.) 

Swithe, Gwytlie, adv. Speedily, 
503, 623. (A.-S. swithe, strongly, vio- 
lently ) 

SwoWj «. A confused noise, 247. (A.- 
S STueg, a noise, swogan, to move with 
noise. Modern English,, sough.) 

Swyme(n), vs. To abound, swarm, 
18S. (A.-S. swijuutan, to swim.) 

T. 

Tenipere(n), viv. To temper, to 
bring to the pioper measure of hard- 
ness, 214. (A.-S. tempriati ; O. F. 
temprer, from Lat. temper are^ 

Tendite, see under To. 



no 



GLOSSARY, 



Term3riie(n), vw. To determine, to 
decide, 530. (O. F. determbier , to 
decide, tennf/ter, to bound, to limit ; 
Lat. teri7tinnre, from terminus.') 

Tercel, Tersel, n. Male of the fal- 
con family, 405, 415, 449, 463, 540, 633. 
(Prov. tersol ; L. Lat. tertiolus, from 
Lat. tertitis, third ; according to some, 
because the male of the falcon family 
is a third smaller than the female ; ac- 
cording to others, because tradition- 
ally every third young one in a nest is 
a male ) 

Terselet, Terslet, «. Male of the 
falcon family, 393, 529, 596, 625, 634, 
639. (O. F. tiercelet ) 

Tliat, pron. That which, what, 163, 
593. Used as an article in that on — 
that othir, 151. 

In Old English, that entered con- 
stantly into combination with various 
particles, thereby losing its strict pro- 
nominal character, and assuming usu- 
ally that of a conjunction. It is found 
combined with prepositions, conjunc- 
tions, interrogative and relative ad- 
verbs and pronouns : in modern Eng- 
lish it is in most cases dropped, the 
simple particle without that being em- 
ployed instead. The following are 
instances of its use it: this poem : — 

As THAT, 95, 393, 460. 

How THAI, 9, 548, 558. 

If THAT, 428. 

There as that, 185. (See As.) 

Thow that, 584. 

Til that, 266, 447, 58S. 

Wher th XT, 298. 

Whether (wher) that, 7. 

Which that, 90, 333, 519, 553. 

While that, 6x6, 642. 

(A.-S. />dt, neut. of dem. pron. se^ 
seo, pat. ) 
Thefn), v. To thrive, to prosper, 569. 

vA.-S. vs. peon.) 
Th.e, f-ro7t. dem. The (used with 
comparatives), 694. {A.-S. pe,p} in- 
strumental case of se, p'dt.) 



The, art. Often joined with a follow* 
ing word if beginning with a vowel| 
as therthe, the earth, 80 ; thassay, the 
assay, 2. 

There, adv. and conj. Where, 69. 
(A.-S. /^.) 

There as. Where, 49, 139, 185. (See 
under As.) 

Thilke, pron. That, those, 61. (A.- 
S>.pyinc,pylc.) 

Thynke(n), vw. To seem, 548. 
{K.S. pyncan. See Methoughte.) 

Thorp, «. Village, 350. (.A..-S. /^r/.) 

Thought, n. Anxiety, anxious 
thought, 89. (A.-S. peaht, poht, ge- 
Poht, counsel, reflection.) 

To, omitted before the infinitive, 437, 
560, 609, 637. 

With o dropped, and united with the 
following infinitive, in tendite, to 
endite, 119, 167. 

To. An Anglo-Saxon prefix denoting 
division, separation, destruction, corre- 
sponding to German zer. It is fre- 
quent in old English, and seen in this 
poem in the three following words : — 

To-reiide(n), vw. To rend in 
pieces ; p. p. torent, 432. (A.-S tb 
and hreridan.) 

To-sliuere(n), vw. To split in 
pieces; /./. toslyuered, 493. (From 
sliver, from A.-S. vs. tosV/an, to 
cleave.) 

To-tere(n), vs. To tear in pieces; 
/. /. totorn, no. (A.-S. toieran ; 
-tiir ; -tcBr07i ; -torn.) 

Trace(n), vw. To walk through, to 
follow, 54 (O. F. tracer.) 

Trowe(n), vw. To believe, to think, 
to suppose, 552,677. (A.-S. treowian, 
tre6wa7i.) 

Tunne, «. Bottle, cask, 104. (A -S. 
tunne, jar, bottle, cask.) 

V. 

Valence, «. A kind of cloth, 272. 
(From Valencia, capital of the prov. 
ince of the same name in Spain. ^ 



GLOSSARY. 



. Ill 



Vers, n. Verse, noin. pi. vers, 124, 
141. (O. F. ver, vers, from Lat. 
versus ) 

Vnnethe, Onethe, adv. Hardly, 

scarcely, with difficulty, 201, 264, 314. 

(A.-S. unedpe, from un and edpe, 

easily.) 
VntO, conj. Until, 647. 
Vntressed, adj. Without having 

the hair done up in tresses or rin;_;lets, 

26S. (O. F. trecer, irescer, to plait, 

from irece, tresce, tress.) 
Vsaunce, n. Custom, practice, 674. 

(O. F. usance.) 
Vse{n), vw. To practise, 549. (O. 

F. 7tser.) 

w. 

Wakyr, adj. WatcMul, 358. (A.-S. 
wacor.) 

"WalkeCn), vs. To walk, pret. welk, 
297. (A.-S. ivealcan, weolc.) 

"War, adj. Wary. To be ivar. to 
perceive, 218, 29S. (A.-S. war, war.) 

WarneCn), vw. To give notice of 
belorehand, 45. (A.-S. waryiiari.) 

"Wel-begon, adj. Filled with hap- 
piness, 171. (O. E. and A.-S. 'wel 
and p. p begoii, covered, filled, sur- 
rounded, furnished. A.-S. began, to 
follow after, observe, use. The corre- 
sponding ivoe-begone is still in use.) 

"Welk. See Walken. 

"Welle, n. Source, fountain, 62, 211, 
215. (A.-S. well from weallan, to 
boil, to spring forth.) 

"WeneCn), vw. To suppose, to think, 
to ween; pret. wende, 493. (A.-S. 
•whian, wende.) 

'W^ere, «. A weir, a fish-pond, 138. 
(A.-S. wcer, wer, an enclosure, fish- 
pond.) 

Weste(n), vw. To descend to the 
west, 266. (From A.-S. adv. west.) 

Wexe(ll), vs. To become, to grow, 



to wax, 444; pret. wex, 583. (A.-S. 
weaxan ; iveox.) 

Wh.at, pron. Who, 410. Used ad- 
verbially in what — what, in the sense 
iA partly — partly. 15. 

"Wlier, adv. \\'liether, 7, 166. (Con- 
tracted from whether, A.-S. hwiiper.) 

Which, pron. What sort of, 564. 
(A.-S. hwilc.) 

"Wight, n. A person, 221. (A.-S. 
wiht. ) 

"WynkeCn), vw. To close the eyes, to 
become drowsy, 482. (A.-S. wijician.) 

"Wise, «. Manner, 457. {k.S.wise.) 

"Wisly, adv. Certainly, truly, 117. 
(A.-S. ivlsllce, wisely, prudently.) 

"Wysse(n), vw. To puide, to teach, 
to direct, 74. (A.-S. tv2sslau.) 

^Wite(ll), V. pret. pres. To know; 
pres. 1st and id persofis sijig. wot, 
5i3» 552, 595, 663. (A.-S. infin. wiian ; 
pres. mat, witon ; pret. vjiste.) 

■With,/r^A By, 432. (A.-S. «//>) 

Wondir, "Wondyr, adv. Won- 
drous, wonderfully, 241, 490. (A.-S. 
wundrtim, dat. pi. of ivntidor.) 

Wot. See WiTiiN. 

Wrekere, n. Avenger, 361. (From 
A.-S wrecan, to avenge^to wreak.) 



Y. 

Ye, adv. Yes, 52. (A.-S. gea, ia, yea, 

yes.) 
Yerde, «. Rod, staff of office, a 

mark of authority, 640. (A.-S. gyrd.) 
Yerne, adv. Rapidly, earnestly, 

eagerly, 3, 21. (A.-S. georne, earnest- 
ly, vehemently.) 
Yore, adv. A long time past, long 

ago, 17, 476. (A.-S. gedra, formerly, 

geo. formerly, before.) 
Youre, pron. Vours, 64^2. (A.-S. 

eower. See Introduction, p. 40.) 



English Literature. 

{For explanation of prices, see first inside page of cover ^ 

Arn old's English Literature. 

Historical and Critical : With an Appendix on English Metres, and 
summaries of the different literary periods. By Thomas Arnold, M.A., 
of University College, Oxford. American edition. Revised. l2nio. 
Cloth. 558 pages. Mailing price, 31-65; Introduction, ^1.20; Ex- 
change, 75 cts. 

The story of "Tom Brown at Rugby" has made the world 
affectionately familiar with the name and character of Dr. Arnold. 
The high esteem in which the great teacher, preacher, and author 
is held by the educational profession in America ought to predispose 
us to a cordial reception of any book written by the mastery's sons. 
Thomas Arnold, the younger, inherits with his father's name the 
sympathetic regard of thousands. He is well known as a scholar 
and as the author of several excellent books, among which is the 
notable work entitled " From Chaucer to Wordsworth," which ranks 
very liigh among essays in literary criticism. 

The topics of the Historical chapters of his English Literature 
are as follows : Anglo-Saxon and Norman Period ; Earl}- English 
Period; Revival of Learning: Elizabethan Period ; Civil War Period ; 
Eighteenth Century ; Modern Times. The first chapter of the crit- 
ical section relates to poetical compositions ; the second chapter to 
prose writings. 

A distinguished English educator says: "In the Historical jDor- 
tion of the book I know not which to admire most, the happy art 
with which the dry facts of dates and names are woven into lucid, 
readai'e paragraphs, full of instruction, or the easy intelligence with 
which the leading characteristics of the more important writers are 
brought before the reader. In the Critical section the author is still 
more at home. The various styles of prose and verse are fully de- 



GINX, HEATH, &^ CO:S PUBLICATIONS. 



scribed ; and this section, as well as the Historical, is illustrated by 
hundreds of well-chosen quotations. In an Appendix, a very useful 
account of English Metres is given, a subject I do not remember 
seeing treated with the same fulness in any other book of the kind."" 
Mr. Arnold has selected and arranged his material with system 
and symmetry. Only the most important facts about authors and 
books are stated. Minor writers are not mentioned. Reasonable 
expansion is rightly given to such topics as Chaucer, Spenser, Bacon, 
and Shakespeare. The student of this manual will receive just 
impressions of the relative value of names and books, as well as po- 
litical and religious influences. Indeed, the adjustment and arrange- 
ment of material is managed with wonderful dexterity and analytic 
clearness. 



T. H. Kimpton, Prof, of Eng. 
Lit., Boston Uiih). : I consider it tlie 
best hook for class use that has yet 
been issued. 

E. H. Griffin, Prof, of Eng. Lit., 
Williams Coll. : I introduced it here 
several years ago, thinking, after a care- 
ful examination of the various text- 
books, that it was, on the whole, the 
best. This is still my opinion. 

M. H. Richards, Prof, of Eng. 
Lit., Muhlcnburgh Coll., Pa. : I have 
used it and am well satisfied with the 
results. I do not know of any Manual 
that is better for the length of time 
which we have to devote to the sub- 
ject, or which more clearly presents 
and more judiciously selects for presen- 
tation its subject-matter. 

E. N. Potter, Prcs. of Union 
Coll. : The book abounds in striking 
passages of clear, fresh, and original 
thought upon a hackneyed subject. 

J. Isham Bliss, Prof of Rhct., 
Univ. of Vermont: I know of no 
Manual of English Literature so useful 
as a text-book for College classes. 



H. H. Morg-an, Prin. of High 
Sch., St. Louis: I should most fully 
recommend it to anyonewhose interest 
in literature was that of the student; 
for he would find much which could 
otherwise be obtained only by extensive 
reading. Recognizing the responsibili- 
ties of the historian, the author has not 
written before he has acquainted him- 
self at first hand with his sulijccts. 

E, L. Hurd, Prcs. of Dlackbnrn. 
Univ. : After testing it in this Univer- 
sity for two years, I know no other 
book which so nearly meets the want. 

T. C. Lowe, B.A., Prin. of 
Hamstead Llill Sc/i., Birrnin^/iam 

' OF 

Eng. : For clearness of exposition, 
simplicity of arrangement, and fulness 
of information, it ought to be special'y 
recommended to students. 

John M. Ellis, Prof ofEj?g. Lit., 
Oberlin Coll., Ohio : An excellent trea- 
tise and well adapted for tlic use of 
classes in High schools and colleges. 
I believe the book is doing, and w ill do, 
much to promote this important stiidv. 

D. S. Stephens, Pi of of Eng. Lit., 
Adrian Coll., Mich. : It is still in use 
here, and gives good satisfaction. 
{^March 7, 1S82.) 



ENGLrSII LIT ERA TURE. 



The following Colleges are already rising the book : 



Yale College, New Haven, Conn, 

Amherst College, Mass. 

Williams College, Mass. 

Boston University, Mass. 

University of Vermont. 

St. Uawrence Universit}', N.Y. 

Muhlenhurg College, Pa. 

Franklin and Marshall College, Pa. 

Ohio Wesleyan University. 

Otterbein University, Ohio. 



Bethel College, Ky. 
Kentucky University, Lexington. 
University of Missouri. 
Smithson College, Ind. 
Simpson Centenary College, la. 
Iowa College, Grinnell, la. 
Chicago University, 111. 
Blackburn University, 111. 
Northwestern University, 111. 
Adrian College, Mich. 



Also used in numerous High Schools, Normal Schools, and Seminaries. 

Oraik's English of Shakespeare. 

Illustrated in a Philological Commentary on Julius Caesar, By George 
L. Craik, Queen's College, Belfast. Edited from the third revised 
London edition by W. J. Rolfe, Cambridge, Mass, i6mo. Cloth. 
386 pages. Mailing price, ^i. 00; Introduction, 90 cts. 

Ill tliis volume Mr. Craik gives an exposition in regard both to 
the language or style of Shakespeare, and to the English language 
generally. He believes the text to be more nearly authentic than 
any that has yet appeared. The only kind of criticism which this 
Commentary on the Play attempts, is what is called verbal criticism. 
Its whole aim, in so far as it relates to the particular work to which 
it is attached, is, as far as may be done, first, to determine the text; 
secondly, to explain what Shakespeare really wrote, and how what 
he has written is to be read and construed. 

The Prolegomena treats of — 

1. Shakespeare's Personal Histojy. 

2. Shakespeare's Works. 

3. The Sjurces fjr the Text of Shakespeare'' s Plays. 

4. The Shakespearian Editors and Comtnentators. 

5. TJie Modern Shakespearian Texts. 

6. TJie Mechanism of English Verse, and the Prosody of the 

Plays of Shakespeare. 

7. Shakespeare'' s fulius Ccesar, 



GIA'iV, HEATH, ^ €0:3 PUBLICATIONS. 



Carpenter's Ang l o-Saxon Grammar and Read er. 

An Introduction to the btudy ot the Aiiglo-baxon Language, comprising 
an Elementary Grammar and carefully graded Selections for Reading, 
followed by Explanatory Notes and a Vocabulary. By brKl'iii:,.\ ll. 
Carpenter, late Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature in the 
University of Wisconsin. i2mo. Cloth. 212 pages. Mailing piice, 
80 cts.; Introduction, 60 cts. 

This book is designed rather to prepare the way for more ad- 
vanced works like those of Dr. March, than to supersede or come 
into competition with them. The Anglo-Saxon, from its great age, 
its wonderful continuity of development, and the opportunity afford- 
ed for illustration by kindred dialects, offers a tempting field to the 
student of Comparative Philology. In order to advantageously cul- 
tivate this field, a certain amount of prepai-ation is indispensable ; 
and such preparation it is the aiin of this book to afford. 

Carpenter's English of the XIV. Century. 

Illustrated by Notes, Grammatical and Philological, on Chaucer's Pro- 
logue and Knight's Tale. By Stephen H. Carpenter, late Professor 
of Rhetoric and English Literature in the University of Wisconsin. 
l2mo. Cloth. 313 pages. Mailing price, $1.00; Introduction, 90 cts. 

Prepared with the design of affording the means of a critical 
study of early English, to a younger class of pupils than have 
hitherto been able to pursue it profitably; and, as it is only from a 
careful study of literature that a thorough acquaintance wath a lan- 
guage can be gained, the work is also intended to serve as an intro- 
duction to the study of English Literature. 



F.A.March, Prof, of Anglo-Saxon, 
Lafayette Coll. : It has a great deal of 
good work in it. Surely any College 
or good High School class can read 
Chaucer with ease and interest from 
this volume. 

The Nation: The Notes are the 
special merit of the book. They are 
not merely explanatory, but discuss the 
words at liberal length, telling us in- 
teresting facts about the derivation, 
changes of meaning, historical sugges- 
tions, and the like, of the words in 



Chaucer and any of their kindred. 
There is a great deal of good work in 
them. There are also frequent expla- 
nations of obscure idioms and other 
grammatical matters by references to 
the Anglo-Saxon. Students who know 
little literature and less philology, and 
who will not give their days, much less 
their nif:;hts, to the study of scientific 
grammars and dictionaries, may here 
find plenty of attractive philological 
matter served up in such a way as to 
tempt their taste without much tasking 
their patience. 



GINN, HEATH, &- CO:S PUBLICATIONS. 

The Haruard Edition of Shakespeare's Complete 

Works. By Henry N, Hudson, LL.D., Author of the Life, Art, and 
Characters of Shakespeare, Editor of School Shakespeare, etc. In 7wenty 
Volumes ; duodecimo; two plays in each volume; also in Ten Volumes 
of four plays each. 

Retail Prices. 

20-vol. edition, cloth . . . $25.00 1 lo-vol. edition, cloth . . . $20.00 

half-morocco .... 55 00 half-morocco .... 40.00 

half-calf 5500 half-calf 40.00 

tree calf 90 00 | tree calf 60.00 

Hudson's "Life, Art, and Characters of Shakespeare" 
(2 vols.) are uniform in size and binding with The Harvard Edi- 
tion, and are included with it at a little more than the above prices. 

1^" Buyers should be careful in ordering not to confound the Har- 
vard Shakespeare with an Old Edition made in 185 1, and sold 
under another name. 

The Harvard Edition has been undertaken and the plan of it 
shaped with a special view to making the Poef s pages pleasant and 
attractive to general readers. 

Within the last thirty years great advances and additions have 
been made in the way of preparation for such a work, and these 
volumes bring the whole matter of Shakespeare up abreast with the 
latest researches. 

" The Edition includes ' The Two Noble Kinsmen,' which will 
be new to most readers of Shakespeare. It was first published in 
1634, and has not generally been included in editions of his works. 
That it was his work, jointly with Fletcher, as was also ' Henry 
Vni.,' it was reserved for our own time to establish, and mainly by 
internal evidence, and it is difficult to read the first scene of the first 
act without saying, with Sidney Walker, ''Ant Shakespearius aut 
diabolus,'' and we are glad that Mr. Hudson gave it place and has 
marked the lines of Fletcher by asterisks." — The Churchman, N.Y. 

The first volume contains " the Burbage portrait," and a life of 
the Poet. A history of each play is given in its appropriate volume. 

The plays are arranged in three distinct series : Comedies. His- 
tories, and Tragedies ; and the plays of each series presented, as 
nearly as may be, in the chronological order of the writing. 



ENGL ISH U TERA T URE. 



An obvious merit of this edition is, that each volume has two 
sets of notes ; one mainly devoted to explaining the text, and placed 
at the foot of the page ; the other mostly occupied with matters of 
textual comment and criticism, and printed at the end of each play. 
The edition is thus admirably suited to the uses both of the general 
reader and of the special student. General readers prefer to have 
explanations directly before them ; and in at least nine cases out of 
ten they will pass over an obscure word or phrase or allusion with- 
out understanding it, rather than look up the explanation in another 
volume or another part of the same volume. Often, too, in case the 
explanation be not directly at hand, they will go elsewhere in quest 
of it, and then tind, after all, that the editor has left the matter 
unexplained ; whereas, with foot-notes they will see at once how 
the matter stands, and will be spared the labour and vexation of a 
fruitless search. 

The foot-notes supply such and so much of explanatory comment 
as may be required by people who read Shakespeare, not to learn 
philology or the technicalities of the scholiast, but to learn Shake- 
speare himself; to take in his thought, to taste his wisdom, and to 
feel his beauty. 

J^^ Send postal for Special Circular giving fuller infor- 
mation. 

How this editum is regarded by Onr Most Eminent Shake- 
spearians, 7nay be judged from the following, which wj are perjnitted 
to publish. Are these reviews lut good evidence that this is to be 
"The Standard Amcricju Editiou of Shakespeare?" 



J. O. Halliwell-Phillips, the 

Shakespearian, Holliiighioy Copse, 
Brighton, Enghvid: Your kind trans- 
mission of Mr. Hudson's edition of 
Shakespeare has given me the great- 
est treat that I have had for manv 
a day, and I can hardly express how- 
much pleasure it affords me to possess 
so admirable a work. Tlie prefaces 
are written with such exceptional abil- 
ity and knowledge, while ihe division 
of the excellent notes into two sets is a 



splendid arrangement that alone would 
give a character to the work. There 
are of course numerous critical points 
on which other writers (mcluding my- 
self) may differ from Mr. Hudson, as 
well as editions more ad^ipted for 
specialists, but I cannot imagine one 
more suitable for the public at large, 
and I trust that you will allow me to 
congratulate you heartily on its pro- 
duction. {^Feb. 7, 1S82.) 



GINN, HEATH, &^ CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. 



Hudson's Life, Art, and Characters of Shake- 

speare. By Henry N. HudS(JN, LL.D., Editor of '■'The Harvard 
Shakespeare,'' ''Expurgated School Shakespeare,''' Qic. In 2 vols. l2mo. 
969 pages. Uniform in size with "The Harvard Shakespeare," 
and matches it in the following bindings : — 

Cloth Retail Price, $4.00 per set. 

Half-calf " " 8.00 " 

Half-morocco .« •< 8.00 " 

Tree calf «. « 12.00 " 



These two Tolumes contain : — 



I. 
2. 



3- 
4. 



The Life of Shakespeare. 

An Historical Sketch of the Origin and Gro^uth of the Dra7na 

in England, discussing under this head Miracle-Plays, 

Moral-Plays, and Comedy and Tragedy. 
Shakespeare'' s Contemporaries. 
Shakespeare's Art, discussing under this head, Nature and 

Use of Art, Principles of Art, Dramatic Composition, 

Characterization, Humour, Style, Moral Spirit. 
Shakespeare's Characters, containing critical discourses on 

twenty-five of the Plays. 



E. P. Whipple, Boston : In the 
analysis of Shakespeare's characters 
Mr. Hudson puts forth all his force and 
subtlety of thought. He almost forgets 
that they are not actual beings, how- 
ever much they may be " real " beings. 
Shakespeare's characters have so taken 
real existence in his mind, that he 
unconsciously speaks of them as one 
speaks of persons he daily meets. This 
is the charm of his criticisms. His 
great object is to educate people into a 
solid knowledge of Shakepeare as well 
as to quicken their love for him ; and, 
in this educational purpose, he aims to 
delight the readers he instructs. 

H. H. Furness, the Shnkespeariait: 
I cannot refrain from recording my 
thorough admiration for Mr. Hudson's 



EEsthetic criticisms. No Shakespeare 
student can afford to overlook them. 

London Atheneeum : They de- 
seive to find a place in every library 
devoted to Shakespeare, to editions 
of his works, to his biography, or to 
the works of commentators. 

Hon. G. S. Hillard: When any 
one differs from Air. Hudson's conclu- 
sions, it behooves him to examine well 
the grounds of his dissent. We can- 
not read anywhere a dozen pages of 
these volumes without admitfinq; that 
we are conversing with a thinker, and 
not merely a scholar. His views, be 
they deemed right or wrong, sound or 
unsound, are unborrowed. They are 
coined in his own mint, and bear his 
image and superscription. 



EXGLISH LITER A TURE. 



Hudson's School Shakespeare. 

Revised and Enlarged Editions of twenty-three Plays, printed from 
new electrotype plates. Carefully expurgated for use in Schools, 
Clubs, and Families, with Explanatory Notes at the bottom of the page, 
and Critical Notes at the end of each volume. By H, N. Hudson, 
LL.D., late Professor of English Literature in Boston University, Edi- 
tor of "7 'he Harvard Shakespeare^'' and, for more than thirty years, 
a Teacher of Shakespeare in the Schools. One play in each volume. 
Square i6mo. Varying in size from 128-253 pages. Mailing Price 
of each, Cloth, 60 cents; Paper, 45 cents. Introduction Price, Cloth, 
45 cents; Paper, I't^ cents. Exchange, Cloth, t^^ cents; Paper, 26 cents. 

That Dr. Hudson has unusual qualifications for annotating a 
School Shakespeare will appear from the opinions of Shakespear- 
ians, Professors of English Literature, and Editors, found on pages 
7-1 1 of this Catalogue, from which we quote: — 

*'//i? is a first-rate teacher.'''' - 

'■'■His style is fresh, original, and pungent. '''' 

^'■His notes are free from pedantry and dulness.'^'* 

*^He has nobility of purpose and purity of heart.'''* 

*^He keeps his readers on the qui x'lve from first to last.'''* 

'■'■He eliminates gross latiguage without marring the plot. "^^ 

*^ He gives results without annoying students with processes. ''^ 

*'-He never forgets that he is the Editor and not the Author.'''' 

*^His insight is fully equal to the best English or German critics!*^ 

* ^He justifies the saying that it requires genius to appreciate and 

interpret genius . " 

'■'■He has so caught the very spirit of his master that he i?ituitively 

makes the best choice of disputed texts and throws clearest light on 

obscure passages.''"' 

^^ See Editor'' s English in Schools {described on page 24) for 
a full account of his methods of teaching Shakespeare and other 
English Classics. 

Each Play is introduced by a discussion of its history, the source 
of the plot, the political situation, a critical estimate of the char- 
acters, and general characteristics, with much other matter invalu- 
able to the student. These introductory essays are transcripts 
from the Editor's ''Life, Art. and Characters of Shakespeare,"" and 
contain much valuable matter not found in any other school edition. 



GINN, HEATH, ^ CO:S PUBLICATIONS. 

The notes are the same as in '■'The Harvard Editioji "; also the 
text, except that it is scrupulously and cleanly expurgated. 

The expurgations consist in the bare omission of such lines and 
expressions as the Editor has always deemed it necessary to omit in 
class. The expurgations do not in any case reach so far as to 
impair in the least either the delineation of character or the dramatic 
action. On the other hand, no matter is retained not fairly pro- 
nounceable in any class, however composed. 

In speaking of Mr. Hudson's fitness for expurgating Shakespeare, 
and of the result of his work in this direction, the keen critic, Mr. 
Edwin P. Whipple, says : '■'We beliei^e that only he who is competent 
to comprehend the wonderful genius of the worhVs greatest mind, is 
a fit person to remove from Shakespeare'^s plays those passages and 
scenes which offend modern notions of propriety. Mr. Hudson has 
done this delicate task with ijicomparable tact and felicity . The bea^dy, 
grandeur, subliinity, wit, humor, and pathos of Shakespeare are 
preserved, and nothing is omitted that is really essential to the com- 
prehensio7i of Shakespeare'' s genius as the g)' eat est poet and dramatist 
of the world.'''' 

The Editor uses the plan of foot-notes instead of massing the 
annotation all together at the end of the play, because ample experi- 
ence has assured him, beyond all perad venture, that whatever of 
explanation young students need of Shakespeare's text — and they 
certainly need a good deal — p is much better every way when placed 
directly under the eye, so that they can hardly miss it ; and because 
"^t least nineteen in twenty of such pupils will pass over an obscure 
word or phrase without understanding it, rather than stay to look up 
che explanation in another part of the volume. 

Recent editors of Greek and Latin Classics are putting their 
annotations on the same page with the text. The strong reasons 
given for thus placing their notes are much stronger reasons when 
applied to similar annotations of any classic in the vernacular. 

In the amount of annotation, the Editor has been mainly guided 
by the results of his own experience in teaching ; aiming to give so 
many and such notes as he has found needful or conducive to a full 
and clear understandinsf of the Poet's thoufiht. He has wished to 



& 



avoid distracting or divertins^ the student's attention overmuch from 



'5> 



the special subject-matter of the Poet's scenes. 



GINN, HEATH, 6- CO:S PUBLICATIONS. 



The Baptist Teacher : We be- 
lieve in Sliakespeare. And therefore 
we advise all thougiitful people, includ- 
ing Ciiristians, not only to look into it 
but lo btudy It. As an aid to such study 
these little books will be of no small 
value. 

Zion's Herald: A carefully-pruned 
and purified eduion. Without weak- 
ening the force or beauty of the orig- 
inal, Mr. Hudson has obviated every 
difficulty and made a thorouglily clean 
and usable version of Shakspeare. 

Pacific Home and School 
Journal, San Francisco : It is, we 
believe, the only edition fit to be placed 
in the hands of boys and girls from 
fourteen to seventeen years of age. 

Ohio Educational Monthly : 
Mr. Hudson has displayed great slcill in 



expurgating those passages of Shake- 
speare whose utterance on the stage or 
in the . social circle modern society 
would not tolerate. The omission of 
these passages is made without de- 
stroying the unity of the play. 

S. G. Barnes, Prof, of Eng. Lit., 

Iowa Coll.: it is an admirable edition 
for private use. I always recommend 
Hudson for library purposes. 

L. M. Blackford, Extract from 
letter written from Stratford, Eng., 
to the Southern Churchman : Though 
the bookcases are all locked, I cou.d 
scan the titles, and was glad to find 
among the editions of the plavs the 
excellent one of our American scholar, 
the Rev. Henry N. Hudson, of Boston, 
the best edition for school and family 
reading on either side of the Atlantic. 
None are comparable to them. 



Hudson's Text-Boob of Poetry. 

From Wordsworth, Coleridge, Burns, Beattie, Goldsmith, and Thom- 
son. With Sketches of the Author's Lives, and instructive foot-notes, 
historical and explanatory. For use in Schools and Classes. By H. 
N. Hudson, LL.D. i2mo. Cloth. 694 pages. Mailing price, $1.65; 
Introduction, $1.20. * 

In our education it is of prime concern that right intellectual and 
literary tastes should be early set or quickened in the mind ; that 
while we are giving people the ability to converse with books, no 
pains should be spared to inspire them with the love of books that 
are good. Once possess them with a genuine, hearty love of a few 
first-rate authors, and then their culture in all its parts, so far as 
books can minister to it, is duly cared for: that love, those tastes, 
will become a sort of instinct, to prompt and guide them to what is 
wholesome and pure. The abiding, uncloying sweetness, the living, 
unwithering freshness of books in which conscience presides, truth 
illuminates, and genius inspires, are the proper food and delectation 
of a chaste and well-ordered mind : and to have a due sense and 
relish of those qualities, is at once the proof and the pledge of moral 



ENGLISH LTTKRA TURE. 



and intellectual health : for here it may with special fitness be affirmed 
that "love is an unerring light, and joy its own security." 

It is on this principle, it is with a constant view to this end, that 
the author has worked in selecting and ordering the contents of this 
volume. 

Two-thirds of the volume is filled with Wordsworth ; who has 
now made good his position as one of the five great chiefs of Eng- 
lish poetry, and whose works embody, in the highest form, whatever 
is noblest and best in the English poetical literature of the last hun- 
dred years. The whole of The Excursion, the first two books of the 
Prelude, Michael, The Brothers, Tint em Abbey, Laodaniia, On the 
Power of Sound, Ode on Immortality, and a large number of smaller 
pieces are included. The selections from Coleridge are. The Ancient 
Mariner, Christabcl, Fears in Solitude, and eighteen other pieces. 
From Burns, The Cotter's Saturday Night, The Tiua Dogs, Tarn 
O'^Shanter, The Vision, and twenty-six other poems, and also twenty- 
nine of the songs. From Beattie, The Minstrel ,\ivom Goldsmith, 
The Deserted Village ; and from Thomson, The Castle of Indolence ; 
these being generally regarded as the best poems of those authors. 
In all cases, except a few pieces of Wordsworth's, the poems are 
given entire, as the authors wrote them, and in nearly every case the 
date of the writing is affixed to the poem. 

Hudson's Text-Book o f Prose. 

I 

From Burke, Webster, .and Bacon. With Sketches of the Authors' 
Lives, and foot-notes, historical and explanatory. By H. N. Hud- 
son, LL.D. i2mo. Cloth. 636 pages. Mailing price, ^1.65 ; Intro- 
duction, $1.20. 

This work is intended as a companion volume to the preceding. 
It is made up on the same general principle, the contents being 
selected with a view to unite, as far as may be, the culture of high 
and pure literary tastes with the attainment of liberal and useful 
knowledge. The selections from Burke are Letter to the Sheriffs of 
Bristol, Speech on Economical Reform, Speech to the Electors of Bris- 
tol, and A Letter to a Noble Lord, all given entire ; also twenty-nine 
other pieces gathered, as seemed best, from the author's various 
works. From Webster, Speech in Reply to Hayne, Speech on the 
Presidential Protest, and discourse on The Character of Washington ; 



CTNN, HEATH, .!- CO:^, PUBLICATIONS. 

also thirty-two shorter pieces from other speeches. From Bacon 
thirty of the fifty-eight Essays, all given entire, and several choice 
selections from Advancement of Leariiing. 

E. N. Potter, Pres. of Union College, says, " They are especially 
valuable in connection with any course of English Literature or His- 
tory. They enable students, and readers generally, to acquire an 
adequate knowledge, not of mere extracts, but of representative 
portions of the best works of world-famed writers. The pupil or 
reader learns not only the 'where/ 'when,' etc., with regard to an 
author's life, but gains a knowledge of the man himself, from famil- 
iarity with his writings." 

Hudson's Pamphlet Selections Prose and Poetry. 

Annotated. i2mo. Paper. Mailing price of each, 33 cts. ; Introduc- 
tion price, 24 cts. 

To meet a growing demand for standard literature in cheap form, 
we have bound in paper covers, for school use, the following portions 
of Hudson's Text- Book of Prose and Text- Book of Poetry. 

Any two or more of the pamphlets will be bound in one volume 
to suit customers ordering one hundred or more copies. 

Ko. I. Edmund Burke. 

Five Speeches and ten Papers, comprising : Obedience to Instruc- 
tions; Speech to the Electors of Bristol; Growth of the American 
Trade ; Character of George Grenville ; Lord Chatham and Charles 
Townshend ; State of Things in France ; The Revolution in France ; 
Liberty ifi the Abstract; Freedom as an Inheritance ; The Revolutio7t- 
ary Third Estate ; The Rights of Men ; Abuse of History ; English 
Toleration; How a Wise Statesman Proceeds; The Principles of 
Reform ; Fanaticism of Liberty. 

No. II. Edmund Burke. 

Introduced by a Sketch of his Life, and comprising: The Ethics 
of Vanity; The Old and the New IVhigs ; A Letter to a Noble Lord; 
France at War with Humanity ; Fanatical Atheism ; How to Deal 
with Jacobin France ; Desolation of the Carnatic ; Unlawfulness of 
Arbitrary Power ; Cruelties of Debi Sing; Impeachmeiit of Hastijigs; 
Justice and Revenge ; Appeal for Judgment upon Hastings. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE, 



liTo. III. Darnel Webster. 

Including his celebrated Reply to Hayiic, Blessings of the Con- 
stitittioii ; Presidential Nullification ; The Spoils to the Victors ; 
Fraiidiilent Party-Outcries ; The Position of Mr. Calhoun ; South- 
Carolina Nullification. 

H"o. IV. Daniel Webster. 

Introduced by a Sketch of his Life, and containing extracts from 
twenty-tive Speeches on The Presidential Protest ; The Character 
of Washington ; Alexander Hamilton ; First Settlement of N'eu* 
England ; The First Century of New E?igland ; The Second Century 
of New England-, An Appeal against the Slave-Trade ; Bunker-Hilt 
Monumejit Begun; Bunker-Hill Monument Finished; Adams in the 
Co7igress of ijjG ; Right use of Learning; The Murder of Mr. White] 
Character of Lord Byron ; Character of fudge Story ; Religion as. 
ail Eletnent of Greatness ; Each to Interpret the Law for Himself; 
Irredeemable Paper; Benefits of the Credit System ; Abuse of Execu- 
tive Patronage ; PhilantJiropic Love of Power ; The Spirit of Dis- 
tmion ; Importance of the N'avy ; The Log-Cabin ; Speaking for the 
Union ; Peaceable Secession ; Standing upon the Constitution ; An 
Appeal for the Union. 

No. V. lord Bacon. 

Introduced by a Sketch of his Life, and comprising extracts from 
thirty Essays, treating of Truth ; Death ; Unity in Religion ; Revenge ; 
Adversity ; Marriage and Single Life ; Great Place ; Goodness ajid 
Goodness of Nature ; Atheism ; Superstition ; Travel ; Wisdom for 
a Man'^s Self; Innovations ; Seeming Wise ; Friendship ; Expense ; 
Suspicion ; Discourse ; Riches ; Nature in Men ; Custom and 
Education ; Youth and Age ; Beauty ; Deformity ; Studies ; Praise ; 
Judicature; Anger; Discredits of Learning; Dignity and Value of 
Knowledge. 

K'o. VI. William Wordsworth. 

Sixty Poems and Sonnets, accompanied by foot-notes, histori- 
cal and explanatory, which clothe the text with a beauty and interest 
that will not fail to win the most listless reader. 



GINM, HEATH, ^ CO:S PUBLICATIONS. 

No. VII. Coleridge and Burns. 
. » 

Containing-, in addition to the Biographical Sketches of the Poets, 
the Notes and Glossaries, forty-five Poems, such as : T/ie Ancient 
Mariner-, Christabd ; The Cotter'' s Saturday Night \ To a Mouse; 
and many other universal favorites. 

!N"o. YIII. Addison a nd Goldsmiih. 

Comprising a brief Sketch of the Life of each, together with fifteen 
Papers from Addison, and eleven Prose Selections from Goldsmith, 
followed by a reprint of '•'The Deserted Village?'' The Prose Selec- 
tions include: Sir Roger de Coverly, Superstition ', Modesty; Cheer- 
fulness ; True and False Wit ; Fortune-Hunters ; Dr. Primrose in 
Prison ; The Character of Hypatia ; A Hard World for Poets ; 
Eiiglish and French Politeness; etc., etc., etc. 

/;/ forming the mind and taste of the young, is it not better to use 
authors who have already lived long enough to aford some guar- 
anty that they jnay survive the next twenty years f 



A. P. Peabody, Harvard Coll.: 
The extracts are, without exception, 
admirably chosen ; tliere is not one 
of them which ought not to have its 
favored place in the literature at the 
command of every person of even mod- 
erate jntelHgence. The editorial matter 
— memoir, note, and glossary — is am- 
ple for its purpose, manifests the skill 
of an experienced teacher no less than 
of an accomplished scholar, and is val- 
uable equally for what it embodies and 
for what, with a wise parsimony, it 
omits; for there is much that is tempt- 
ing to an editor which would be sur- 
plusage in a school-book. 

Henry A. Coit, P/in. St. Paul's 
School, Concord, N.H. : I heartily ap- 
prove, admire, and commend. It is 
miles beyond and above, in value, the 
so-called Advanced Reader. 



Horace H. Furness, Phila.: If 
such selections could only be intro- 
duced into all our public schools, the 
next generation will show a race of 
statesmen with " hands that the rod of 
empire might sway," and that would 
make us lift our head among the na- 
tions. 



Dr. Wni. T. Harris : I think you 
are doing a great service to the cause 
of literature in the country by printing 
and circulating these books. Mr. Hud- 
son is effecting a revolution in our 
methods of teaching literature by his 
series of school-texts, — Shakespeare, 
Burke, Wordsworth, etc. I can onlv 
wish I were an autocrat, and could 
force these books into the schools of 
the country. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 



Hudson's Classical English Reader. 

For High Schools, Academies, and the upper grades of Grammar Schools. 
Containing selections from Bryant, Burke, Burns, Byron, Carlyle, Cole- 
ridge, Cowley, Cowper, Dana, Froude, Gladstone, Goldsmith, Gray, 
Helps, Herbert, Hooker, Hume, Irving, Keble, Lamb, Landor, Long- 
fellow, Macaulay, Milton, Peabody, Scott, Shakespeare, Southey, Spen- 
ser, Talfourd, Taylor, Webster, Whittier, Wordsworth, and other stand- 
ard authors. With explanatory and critical foot-notes. i2mo. Cloth. 
425 pages. Mailing price, $1.25; Introduction, 90 cts.; Exchange, 
50 cts. 

t!^^ Send Postal for Special Circular. 

Not one of the pieces has been taken for the author's sake ; the 
selection has proceeded on the twofold ground of intrinsic merit 
and of fitness to the purposes of the volume ; due care being had, 
withal, for a reasonable variety both in matter, style, and author- 
ship. Including as it does the choicest extracts from so many stand- 
ard authors, it admirably supplements and emphasizes the ordinary 
course in English Literature. 



F. J. Child, Pro/, of Eng. in Ha- - 
vard Univ.: A boy who knew this 
book as well as boys who are good for 
anything generally know their readers, 
might almost be said to be liberally 
educated. And how rich must the 
literature be, when, after it has been 
ransacked for " extracts " (not always 
by men who know where to go and 
what to take, as Mr. Hudson does), a 
school-book can be made that is so 
select and so unstaled. I am going to 
finish my education on it myself, and 
bring up a certain boy on it, and some 
girls. If I had seen only the selections 
from Schiller's Wallenstein, I should 
be sure that the book was wliat I want 
for young people. The man that put 
those in knows what Ihey like and need. 

R. R. Raymond, Pre<;. of Boston 
School of Oratojy : It is just tlie book 
that needed to be made ; and, now that it 
is here, one is surprised that it did not 
come before. 



A. P. Peabody, Harvard Univ. : 
I must express to you my strong sense of 
its superlative worth. It ought to make 
its way into every Grammar-School and 
Academy in the country. It will do 
more than any or all books of the kind 
(there are none of the kind) now in use 
toward creating a taste for good liter- 
ature, and furnishing fit materials for 
the culture of such a taste. 

H. A. Coit, Prin. of St. Paul's Sch., 
Concord, NH. : There is no book to be 
compared with it in America. There is 
the most refreshing good taste and re- 
finement manifested in every selection, 
to say nothing of the thorough knowl- 
edge of the best English literature, to 
which it witnesses. 

R. G. Hibbard, Prof of Elocution, 
Weslcyan Univ. : As a book for the 
use of classes in our High Schools, both 
in the study of English Literature and 
Reading, it has no superior. 



GINN, HEATH, ^ CO:S PUBLICATIONS. 



John L. Sewall, Olivet Coll., 
Mich. : We are using it with great 
satisfaction ; it certainly stands witiiout 
a rival. 



Eng. 



Chas. B. Travis, Master 
High School, Boston : Every Englisli 
scholar is under an obligation to the 
man who presents, in a manner so com- 
pact and clear, so much that is excellent, 
with nothing that is objectionable. 

E, S. Joynes, Prof, of Belles Let- 
tres, Univ. of Tenn. : I shall give it 
precedence over every other for class 
use. 

Wm. R. Dimmock, late Prin. of 
Adams Acad., Quincy, Mass. : Full of 
the best selections, taken and arranged 
with excellent taste. 



F. W. Tilton, Prin. of Rogers 
High School, Newport, R.I.: It is a 
great pleasure to find in a single volume 
so many of the choicest selections our 
literature affords. It is like going into 
a company and meeting only 6ne's old- 
est and best friends. 

Sarah E, Doyle, Teacher of Eng. 
Lit., High School, Providence, R.L : It 
is rightly named " The Classical Read- 
er," I know of no reading-book better 
adapted for pupils of High and Normal 
Schools than this, as it will make them 
familiar with some of the masterpieces 
of English Literature. 

Boston Daily Advertiser : It 
will be a fortunate day for our children 
when their taste is formed upon such 
models of literature and sentiment as 
are here collected. 



First Two Books of Milton's Paradise Lost; and 

Milton's Lycidas. By Homer B. Sprague, Ph.D., Principal of Girls' 
High School, Boston. i2mo. Cloth. 198 pages. Mailing price, 60 
cts. ; Introduction, 45 cts. 

These books, the sublimest of Milton'*s poetry, are here prepared 
for class use, as well as for private reading. The edition differs, it 
is believed, from all other school editions, — 

1. In containing some of the results of the most recent studies 
and criticisms, as set forth by Masson, Prof. Himes, the French 
critic Edmond Scherer, De Ouincey, Lowell, Morley, etc. 

2. In being illustrated by diagrams, representing Milton's cos- 
mography, showing the relative positions he assigned in space to 
the empyreal heavens, to hell, to the earth between them, and to 
chaos. 

3. In omitting fifteen or twenty objectionable lines that need not 
be read in school, and that have often and properly caused the ex- 
clusion of the book from the class-room. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 



4. In furnishing more convenient and suggestive notes, with 
better type and arrangement. 

5. In presenting an approved formula for conducting class 
exercises. 

The Chronology of incidents in the life of Milton, the Table of 
Various Readings accorded the text, and the complete index of 
words explained in the Notes, greatly enhance the value of the 
book. 



F, A. March, Prof, of Eng., La- 
fayette Coll.: It is a very lively and 
suggestive book, with quite learning 
enough in it for our schools. 

Pres. Warren, Boston Univ. : It 
seems to me admirably adapted to its 
purpose. 

John A. Himes, Prof, of Eng. 
Lit., Penn. Coll., Gettysburg: I have 
seen no other annotated edition of 
Paradise Lost, in the ground covered, 
so free from errors, or so safe as this. 

F. W. Osborn,- ' Adelphi Acad., 
Brooklyn : I know of nothing that wiil 
at all compare with it for practical sug- 
gestions, and as a help to the appreci- 
ation of the great epic. 

W. J. Rolfe : An adjnirable school 
edition. It is the first really good in- 
troduction to the study of the poet 
which has appeared in this country, 
and seems to us better than anything 
of the kind published in England. 

New England. Journal of Ed- 
ucation : There is probably no Amer- 
ican scholar better fitted to prepare an 
edition of Milton's poems for educa- 
tional uses than Homer B. Sprague. 
For years he has studied Milton's writ- 
ings and reverenced his genius, and in 



editing his works he brings to bear 
upon his labors the skill of the gifted 
critic, and the practical wisdom of an 
able instructor, for many years, in Eng- 
lish Uterature. His notes are admirable. 

Maryland School Journal : 
The notes contain everything which a 
voung student needs. We know of no 
book available for schools that will do 
as much as this little volume to render 
Milton intelligible and enjoyable. 

C. T. Lane, Prin. High School, 
Fort Wayne, Ind. : I am using it in 
my class in English Literature, and can- 
not too strongly express my admiration 
for it. The notes seem to me in all 
respects excellent. The information 
which they furnish is interesting and 
apposite : the criticism is appreciative ; 
the questions are a stimulus to thought. 

W. C. Crippin, Prin. of Normal 
School, VI. : It is incomparably the 
best edition for class use that has yet 
appeared. 

E. H. Russel, Prin. Worcester 
Normal School : The three main quali- 
ties of a good text-book maker, 
namelv, scholarship, judgment, and en- 
thusiasm, Dr. Sprague shows in this 
book. 



^ 






■d 






o. . ., .? ; - ^ : <r ^ 



•^^ ':- ..' J 



tr rf v;--,.„^^■■ .r .. .. 



^ 






•*- 



-A 



o /.^ .^^ J" "^^. ^;^ ^^^ ^ Ir 






.. .^ 



o 



^ ^C,- * ^ V' V, ^ -' A • <- 









"^^/^ *.,.-' x\^^ "^^^ %■ '^^^^ <■ ' cO Z^^f'^f^'^ ^='■'^9 ^he Bookkeeper process. 

. C' s^ ^^ -^ /, ^;, '^ N ^ j^ ^Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 

^' V- .ar-<>:-., ^x ^V >?- Treatment Date: Feb 2009 



c,^ ^ z . - / - ^wNw P^eservatlonTechnologies 

V? '^. °^K -^ ^ 0>-A^ : ^^ ' *'«°"^°LEADE« IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 

-Y- ' * ',i>. » 111 Thomson Park Drive 







9> ^ 






'• ' _ -'c 



8 1 \ " \^ 



.'^' 



•n:.. 






1^ ^r 



"> ■•■ t^ ^ C 



ff 












o 
-/ 



o. 









-^ o , V "* .A 



-e. 
•^ 



"b 0^' 












•^ 






-.S 



't> 



4 ^ 






.\ 



b, ""* 

I- 1^3 •>, « -<3 



t'^ 



0^ ,*'^'«* 

^. * .. -: ^ 



,,.^\x^'^ 



u 






v<- •^^■"•^. 



.^^' 



^>. ' 


















t\l ^ 






%.. ^ 






<'' 0.^-^ .V\ 


















^>^^- ,\,5^v.^' 



-"vS^- " c ''^ 



9 1 "\ 












e 



0' 



.0' 












'-'^ v^' 



.\ 



\' 



Oo 



\^ A^ 









^-^• 



^^- .^ 



-<■ V. * 



# ,-o,/^^>.. '"'•' -■^'^ 





014 044 228 8 



m 



